Signature · 11.2% SNAP (48th pct in MD)
St. Mary's County, MD
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of St. Mary's 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).
- 21.7%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 11.2%
- on SNAP
- 115K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County St. Mary's County, MD
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 21.7% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 12% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Baltimore County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, St. Mary's County ranks #1,552 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #16 of 24 counties in MD (21.7% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,552
- national by low-access %
- #16
- in MD
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- 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: 11.2% SNAP (48th pct in MD) (-0.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How St. Mary's County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, St. Mary's County's 21.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,552 most-affected nationwide.
St. Mary's County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
17 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
St. Mary's County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (10 rural, 7 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 7 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
St. Mary's County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Maryland, not a full county-board reprint
- Calvert
Calvert 38.6%
38.6 % low-access
- Queen Anne's
Queen Anne's 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Howard
Howard 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Baltimore
Baltimore 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- St. Mary's
St. Mary's 21.7%
21.7 % low-access
- Montgomery
Montgomery 20%
20 % low-access
- Kent 1.7
Kent 1.7%
1.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 17 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 105,151 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 22,863 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.7%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,370 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 115,126 |
| Median Household Income | $119,446 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.0%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,752 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.2%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
Other Counties in Maryland
One of 23 counties in Maryland, 6 are shown here.
Compare St. Mary's County vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →
Nationwide peers for St. Mary's County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for St. Mary's County (11.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Maryland.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MD (21.7% here).
- Allen County, KY · 21.7% low-access
- Forrest County, MS · 21.7% low-access
- Wyoming County, NY · 21.7% low-access
- Pitt County, NC · 21.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MD (11.2% here).
- Kalamazoo County, MI · 11.2% SNAP
- Bates County, MO · 11.2% SNAP
- Vanderburgh County, IN · 11.2% SNAP
- Sanders County, MT · 11.2% 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.
Maryland among South Atlantic states
Maryland ranks 6th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (22.7%). St. Mary's County, at 21.7%, runs 1.0 pts below the Maryland rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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. Mary's County, MD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 24037. 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.