Signature · 150 SNAP-authorized stores
St. Louis County, MN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of St. Louis 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).
- 27.3%
- low-access pop.
- 16
- food-desert tracts
- 10.2%
- on SNAP
- 200K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County St. Louis County, MN
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 27.3% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +5.2 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 16 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.2% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 24% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Meeker County ( -1.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, St. Louis County ranks #1,133 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #39 of 87 counties in MN (27.3% low-access; 16 food-desert tracts).
- #1,133
- national by low-access %
- #39
- in MN
- 29
- low-access tracts
- 18K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 150 SNAP-authorized stores .
How St. Louis County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, St. Louis County's 27.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,133 most-affected nationwide.
St. Louis County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
66 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 16 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, St. Louis County has 43 urban and 23 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
St. Louis County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Minnesota, not a full county-board reprint
- Red Lake
Red Lake 99.2%
99.2 % low-access
- St. Louis 27.3
St. Louis 27.3%
27.3 % low-access
- Meeker 26.1
Meeker 26.1%
26.1 % low-access
- Norman 26
Norman 26%
26 % low-access
- Kittson 25.9
Kittson 25.9%
25.9 % low-access
- Wright 25.9
Wright 25.9%
25.9 % low-access
- Fillmore 2.7
Fillmore 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 66 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 200,226 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 29 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 16 |
| Low-Access Population | 54,636 |
| Low-Access Share | 27.3%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 18,320 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 200,123 |
| Median Household Income | $70,069 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 8,885 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in St. Louis County
St. Louis County has 150 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 76 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 76
- 9th street short stop 22, duluth
- babbit short stop 4, babbitt
- buhl short stop 1, buhl
- caywood country store, saginaw
- central entrance short stop 21, duluth
- cook short stop 7, cook
- ely lake short stop 6, eveleth
- eveleth short stop 18, eveleth
- express lane 5502, hibbing
- express lane 5503, chisholm
- floodwood 33, floodwood
- gary milk house, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746062, hibbing
- holiday stationstore 2746148, virginia
- holiday stationstore 2746153, hibbing
- holiday stationstore 2746184, aurora
- holiday stationstore 2746293, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746325, duluth
- hibbing express short stop 29, hibbing
- hibbing short stop 25, hibbing
- hibbing short stop ii 19, hibbing
- holiday stationstore 2746027, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746041, virginia
- holiday stationstore 2746085, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746100, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746141, gilbert
- holiday stationstore 2746144, ely
- holiday stationstore 2746190, hermantown
- holiday stationstore 2746327, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746328, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746354, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746409, duluth
- holiday stationstore 2746422, duluth
- korner store, hermantown
- korner store, chisholm
- kornerstore #800, duluth
- kornerstore 700, duluth
- kwik trip 1043, hermantown
- kwik trip 117, duluth
- kwik trip 216, hermantown
- kwik trip 218, duluth
- kwik trip 220, hermantown
- kwik trip 224, duluth
- kwik trip 273, duluth
- kwik trip 274, duluth
- kwik trip 572, hermantown
- kwik trip 941, duluth
- lakeside short stop 23, duluth
- lucky seven general store 01, biwabik
- lucky seven general store 02, cook
- lucky seven general store 05, virginia
- lucky seven general store 06, chisholm
- lucky seven general store 09, virginia
- lucky seven general store 10, hoyt lakes
- lucky seven general store 11, ely
- lucky seven general store 13, aurora
- lucky seven general store 15, hibbing
- lucky seven general store 23, hibbing
- mt iron short stop 17, mountain iron
- nett lake c-store, orr
- piedmont milk house, duluth
- proctor 32, duluth
- r.t. convenience, hibbing
- snyder super stop, duluth
- speedway 4602, hermantown
- speedway 4776, duluth
- speedway 4777, floodwood
- speedway 4778, cotton
- speedway 4892, duluth
- speedway 4896, duluth
- the y store, tower
- townline short stop 26, eveleth
- virginia express short stop 15, virginia
- virginia short stop 5, virginia
- voyageur short stop 10, ely
- woodland short stop 20, duluth
Combination Grocery/Other · 23
- cvs pharmacy #6691 6691, duluth
- dollar general 13970, virginia
- dollar general 14857, ely
- dollar general 15431, chisholm
- dollar general 15614, aurora
- dollar general 17242, floodwood
- dollar general 20245, cook
- dollar general 23618, babbitt
- dollar general 30775, duluth
- dollar tree 2228, duluth
- dollar tree 2263, virginia
- dollar tree 2906, duluth
- dollar tree 3545, hibbing
- dollar tree 6656, duluth
- family dollar 10986, duluth
- family dollar 13821, hoyt lakes
- tnt xchange, duluth
- walgreens 07126, duluth
- walgreens 10500, duluth
- walgreens 10501, virginia
- walgreens 11125, hibbing
- walgreens 13877, duluth
- walgreens 15149, duluth
Supermarket · 18
- aldi 72095, virginia
- aldi 72097, duluth
- aldi 72152, hibbing
- adolph store, hermantown
- cub foods 1603, duluth
- super one foods 450, biwabik
- super one foods 455, duluth
- super one foods 457, duluth
- super one foods 458, duluth
- super one foods 459, virginia
- super one foods 509, virginia
- super one foods 525, hibbing
- super one foods 565, duluth
- super one foods 571, duluth
- super one foods 576, duluth
- woodland 460, duluth
- zup's foods, tower
- zups food market, babbitt
Super Store · 12
- costco wholesale 1422, duluth
- mt royal fine food, duluth
- sam's club 6320, hermantown
- target store 4, duluth
- target store 847, virginia
- walmart 2937, hibbing
- walmart supercenter 1757, hermantown
- walmart supercenter 4849, mountain iron
- whole foods community co-op, duluth
- wholefoods coop - denfeld 02, duluth
- zup's market, ely
- zups food market, cook
Farmers' Market · 8
- central hillside farmers market, duluth
- cook area farmers market, cook
- duluth farmers market, duluth
- hibbing farmers market, hibbing
- lincoln park farmers market, duluth
- ode'imini giizis farmers market, nett lake
- tower farmers market, tower
- virginia market square, virginia
Bakery Specialty · 5
- papa murphy's mn103, virginia
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza mn011, duluth
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza mn048, duluth
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza mn108, duluth
- papa murphys mn076, hibbing
Large Grocery Store · 5
- chisholm jubilee, chisholm
- f & d meats, virginia
- natural harvest food co-op, virginia
- pelican bay foods, orr
- stokke's lakewood market, duluth
Delivery Route · 1
- community mobile market, duluth
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- old world meats, duluth
Small Grocery Store · 1
- baileys lake grocery, virginia
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Minnesota
One of 86 counties in Minnesota, 6 are shown here.
Compare St. Louis County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →
Nationwide peers for St. Louis County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for St. Louis County, both outside Minnesota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MN (27.3% here).
- Shiawassee County, MI · 27.3% low-access
- Shiawassee County, MI · 27.3% low-access
- Macomb County, MI · 27.3% low-access
- Macomb County, MI · 27.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MN (10.2% here).
- Perry County, MO · 10.2% SNAP
- Perry County, MO · 10.2% SNAP
- Champaign County, OH · 10.2% SNAP
- Champaign County, OH · 10.2% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Minnesota in context
St. Louis County sits inside Minnesota (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for St. Louis County, MN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 27137. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.