County food-access profile · Indiana
St. Joseph County, IN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of St. Joseph County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 31.8%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 9.8%
- on SNAP
- 273K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.8% of St. Joseph County residents live in a low-access area, and 10 of its 75 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 35
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 6.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.2%
- below poverty line
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).
USDA data puts St. Joseph County's low-access share at 31.8%, above the national share. 35 of the county's 75 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 84,766 people. 10 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 21,778 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How St. Joseph County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, St. Joseph County's 31.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 74% of them and ranked #827 most-affected nationwide.
St. Joseph County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 75 census tracts in St. Joseph County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
St. Joseph County vs. other Indiana counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana
- St. Joseph
St. Joseph County, IN
31.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, IN
17.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, IN
37.8 % low-access
- Bartholomew
Bartholomew County, IN
36.4 % low-access
- Benton 1.7
Benton County, IN
1.7 % low-access
- Blackford
Blackford County, IN
15.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 75 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 266,931 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 35 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 84,766 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.8%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 21,778 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 273,040 |
| Median Household Income | $66,868 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 10,469 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.3% |
About 9.8% of St. Joseph County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 10,469 households here.
- 6.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 10 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for St. Joseph County
above the national share
10 of St. Joseph County's 75 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 13.3% of all its tracts.
A further 25 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 35.
An estimated 84,766 residents, roughly 31.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 21,778 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 40 tracts (53.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County has 220 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 101 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 101
- 7 eleven #32587b, south bend
- 7 eleven 30171e, south bend
- 7-eleven 32424, mishawaka
- 7-eleven food store #21961-b, mishawaka
- 7-eleven store 20517k, mishawaka
- 7-eleven store 27054j, south bend
- 7-eleven store 32578k, granger
- 7-eleven #41838a #41838a, mishawaka
- 7-eleven 35742a, south bend
- a 1 quick stop, mishawaka
- a g food mart, south bend
- abarrotes dona elena, south bend
- always open, south bend
- always open, south bend
- ansh inc, south bend
- b and b petroleum inc, south bend
- batth enterprise, south bend
- bon bon miami street convience store llc, south bend
- casey's 2240, osceola
- casey's general store 2433, walkerton
- charlies 87, mishawaka
- charlies group ii, llc 88, granger
- colfax express mart ii, south bend
- d&t petroleum incorporated, mishawaka
- down to earth, granger
- ds quick stop, mishawaka
- expo fast stop, mishawaka
- expo mishawaka, mishawaka
- family express 72, mishawaka
- family express corp - fe71 notre dame east 71, mishawaka
- family express inc - fe62 notre dame 62, mishawaka
- fresh way food mart, south bend
- gadani petroleum inc, mishawaka
- gs fashion house, south bend
- hoosier spot, south bend
- jsb petro inc., south bend
- kern road llc, south bend
- laddi legacy inc, mishawaka
- laddi petro inc, south bend
- logan petroleum inc., south bend
- lucky mart, north liberty
- lucky mart 2, mishawaka
- marycrest marathon, south bend
- mcclure oil 50, south bend
- mcclure oil 75, south bend
- meijer gas station 120, south bend
- meijer gas station 128, mishawaka
- mfj mini mart, south bend
- mk11 inc, mishawaka
- msb petroleum incorporated, walkerton
- murphy usa 7430, south bend
- nk food mart inc, south bend
- noor empire inc, granger
- notre dame quick mart, south bend
- olive expo food mart, south bend
- olive express mart corp, south bend
- one stop, mishawaka
- one stop 1 1, south bend
- one stop 2, south bend
- param inc., south bend
- phillips 66, mishawaka
- pilot travel center 35, south bend
- pl expo 66, south bend
- pl expo amoco inc, south bend
- pl expo bp inc, south bend
- pl expo prairie inc, south bend
- portage one stop, south bend
- prairie petro inc, south bend
- punjab group capital inc, granger
- purple porch cooperative, inc., south bend
- q mart, south bend
- quick stop food center, mishawaka
- r & b mini mart, south bend
- rainbow lincoln way, south bend
- rebel 886, mishawaka
- rebel 887, south bend
- rl19 inc, south bend
- rnj quickmart inc 1, south bend
- royal express, south bend
- s & s quick mart inc. 01, mishawaka
- sample st expo inc, south bend
- sk petro inc, south bend
- sm gas incorporated, mishawaka
- smith food mart, osceola
- sofi mart, mishawaka
- south bend city market inc, south bend
- speedway 5153, south bend
- speedway 5487, south bend
- speedway 6620, south bend
- speedway 6636, south bend
- speedway 6674, south bend
- speedway 8532, south bend
- sr23 expo empire, south bend
- star, south bend
- star 002, south bend
- stop n go, south bend
- sys beverages inc, south bend
- tej28 inc, south bend
- the pop shop, south bend
- university marathon south, south bend
- vs food mart, granger
Combination Grocery/Other · 63
- cvs 2387, granger
- cvs 6463, south bend
- cvs 6464, mishawaka
- cvs 6473, granger
- cvs 6485, walkerton
- cvs pharmacy 6487, south bend
- cvs pharmacy 8631, south bend
- cvs pharmacy 8642, south bend
- cvs pharmacy 8645, mishawaka
- cvs pharmacy 8646, south bend
- dollar general 11353, osceola
- dollar general 1430, south bend
- dollar general 18306, south bend
- dollar general 18307, south bend
- dollar general 18427, south bend
- dollar general 18457, mishawaka
- dollar general 19423, south bend
- dollar general 23635, mishawaka
- dollar general 3077, walkerton
- dollar general 3724, granger
- dollar general 4223, new carlisle
- dollar general 4627, north liberty
- dollar general 4634, south bend
- dollar general 7035, mishawaka
- dollar general 8213, mishawaka
- dollartree 9388, granger
- dollartree 9391, south bend
- dollar general 11525, south bend
- dollar general 16975, walkerton
- dollar general 20101, mishawaka
- dollar general 20639, south bend
- dollar general 21026, south bend
- dollar general 24770, south bend
- dollar general 25872, mishawaka
- dollar general store 12862, south bend
- dollar general store 17106, lakeville
- dollar general store 8773, south bend
- dollar tree 1333, south bend
- dollar tree 1725, south bend
- dollar tree 2373, granger
- dollar tree 705, mishawaka
- dollar tree 7145, mishawaka
- dollar tree 7394, south bend
- dollar tree 7863, south bend
- family dollar 11792, south bend
- family dollar 8157, south bend
- family dollar store 1200, south bend
- family dollar store 4931, south bend
- family dollar store 7407, south bend
- family dollar store 7749, south bend
- family dollar store 7810, mishawaka
- one stop #3, south bend
- oriental market, mishawaka
- saigon market, south bend
- vanna african market, south bend
- walgreens 3437, south bend
- walgreens 06965, granger
- walgreens 09482, mishawaka
- walgreens 10184, south bend
- walgreens 11085, south bend
- walgreens 11544, granger
- walgreens 11625, mishawaka
- walgreens 9220, south bend
Super Store · 22
- costco wholesale 1183, granger
- kroger j-889, mishawaka
- kroger j-901, south bend
- kroger j-903, south bend
- kroger j-938, mishawaka
- martin's super markets 2304, mishawaka
- martin's super markets 2310, south bend
- martin's super markets 2311, south bend
- martin's super markets 2312, mishawaka
- martin's super markets 2316, granger
- martin's super markets 2325, granger
- martin’s express 728, south bend
- martin’s super markets 2308, south bend
- meijer inc 120, south bend
- meijer inc 121, mishawaka
- meijer inc 128, mishawaka
- sam's club 6315, mishawaka
- target store 1445, granger
- target store 1902, south bend
- walmart 3436, south bend
- walmart supercenter 2678, mishawaka
- whole foods market 10482, mishawaka
Medium Grocery Store · 14
- almadina grocery store, mishawaka
- bob's country store, north liberty
- carniceria los gallos number 1, south bend
- east race market, south bend
- garden patch market, mishawaka
- international fresh market inc., south bend
- jaworski's market, south bend
- jennys bakery, south bend
- milan grocery store, mishawaka
- panaderia y supermercado san miguel inc, south bend
- puerto vallarta supermarket, mishawaka
- sb29 market inc, south bend
- sari sari-a llc 1, mishawaka
- southbend 1 inc, south bend
Supermarket · 7
- aldi 62002 62002, mishawaka
- aldi 62034 62034, south bend
- aldi 62068 62068, south bend
- gordon food service store mp007, mishawaka
- groceries by joe, new carlisle
- save a lot 21331, south bend
- trader joe's south bend 600, south bend
Large Grocery Store · 6
- dc meats, inc, osceola
- eby's old fashioned meat market, south bend
- jay meldi inc, mishawaka
- michoacan supermarket, south bend
- rosales super mkt 5, south bend
- super mercado rosales 3, south bend
Farmers' Market · 4
- c & c garden, south bend
- purple porch cooperative, inc, south bend
- river valley farmers' market, south bend
- south bend farmers market, south bend
Small Grocery Store · 3
- abarrotes yuliana, south bend
- devine international food market llc, south bend
- midwest kosher & deli llc, south bend
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Indiana
Compare St. Joseph County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Food access nationally, Indiana in context
St. Joseph County sits inside Indiana (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of St. Joseph County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in St. Joseph County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in St. Joseph County? ▼
Is St. Joseph County a food desert? ▼
What share of St. Joseph County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.