County food-access profile · Ohio
Stark County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Stark 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).
- 28.9%
- low-access pop.
- 9
- food-desert tracts
- 12.7%
- on SNAP
- 374K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.9% of Stark County residents live in a low-access area, and 9 of its 86 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 41
- low-access tracts
- 32K
- food-desert residents
- 6.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.5%
- 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 Stark County's low-access share at 28.9%, above the national share. 41 of the county's 86 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 108,654 people. 9 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 32,210 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 Stark County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Stark County's 28.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #1,013 most-affected nationwide.
Stark County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 86 census tracts in Stark County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Stark County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Stark
Stark County, OH
28.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 86 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 375,586 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 41 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 9 |
| Low-Access Population | 108,654 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 32,210 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 373,713 |
| Median Household Income | $67,934 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 19,848 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.7%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 12.7% of Stark County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 19,848 households here.
- 6.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 9 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 Stark County
above the national share
9 of Stark County's 86 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.5% of all its tracts.
A further 32 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 41.
An estimated 108,654 residents, roughly 28.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 32,210 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 45 tracts (52.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Stark County
Stark County has 312 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 130 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 130
- 10k food mart, canton
- 6th street market, massillon
- a and a 1, canton
- a-mart express, canton
- alliance duchess 1165, alliance
- alliance quick mart llc, alliance
- allstar beverage, canton
- amoco, canton
- b & b drive thru, canton
- b & k emporium, alliance
- bp cleveland ave, canton
- beach city citgo, beach city
- bellstores 1015, hartville
- bellstores 1021, canton
- bellstores 1022, massillon
- bellstores 1027, massillon
- bellstores 1028, canton
- bellstores 1031, massillon
- bellstores 1032, brewster
- bellstores 1040, massillon
- bellstores 1045, canton
- bellstores 1052, alliance
- bellstores 1053, canton
- bellstores 1064, canal fulton
- bellstores 1069, east canton
- bellstores 1152, canal fulton
- bellstores 1158, canton
- bellstores 1026, massillon
- bellstores 1034, massillon
- bellstores 1122, canton
- bellstores 1147, massillon
- bellstores 1173, louisville
- c d food mart, massillon
- canton party store, canton
- circle k 4705386, alliance
- circle k 4705388, massillon
- circle k 4705398, canton
- circle k 4705400, canal fulton
- circle k 4705618, canton
- circle k 4705665, canton
- circle k 4705668, alliance
- circle k 4705703, jackson
- circle k 4705709, canton
- circle k 4705736, alliance
- circle k 5385, navarre
- circle k 5387, north canton
- circle k 5626, canton
- corner store, massillon
- dixie mart, alliance
- dueber drive thru, canton
- el mercadito hondureno, canton
- erik's grocery bag, north canton
- everly's carry out llc, canton
- express mini mart, canton
- faircrest 392, canton
- fast & friendly food mart, massillon
- fohl road sunoco, canton
- fulton mart, canton
- gas city, canton
- getgo 3395, north canton
- getgo 3625, alliance
- gtb prtroleum, minerva
- harmont drive thru, canton
- hof gas, canton
- honey market, east sparta
- jae family 5269618, north canton
- k & s mini mart, canton
- kprp llc, massillon
- lincoln way mini mart, massillon
- love's travel stop 813, north canton
- lumzel convenience, north canton
- m k supermart, robertsville
- mahoning mini mart, canton
- main avenue market, massillon
- main stop mart, canton
- massillon mini mart, massillon
- meijer express 332, north canton
- meijer gas station 325, canton
- mini food mart, canton
- mini food mart, canton
- murphy usa 7868, canton
- perry fuel mart, canton
- pilot travel center 469, canton
- platinum petroleum, llc dba canton sunoco, canton
- r & j petroleum inc, canton
- r & r junction ltd, brewster
- rocky's inc., waynesburg
- s & k mini mart, canton
- s singh inc, alliance
- s&k mini mart, canton
- spee-d-foods 19, navarre
- spee-d-foods 31, canton
- sav way mart, canton
- sheetz 342, canton
- sheetz 375, alliance
- sheetz 389, canton
- sheetz 431, north canton
- sheetz 529, hartville
- sheetz 815, massillon
- spee d foods 22, canton
- spee d foods 28, north canton
- spee d foods 29, louisville
- spee d foods no 30, greentown
- speedway 1207, canton
- speedway 3362, east canton
- speedway 3403, hartville
- speedway 3628, massillon
- speedway 3653 3653, canton
- speedway 4527, massillon
- speedway 6236, canton
- speedway 6237, north canton
- speedway 6239 6239, waynesburg
- speedway 6465, canton
- speedway 9053, louisville
- speedway 9110, canton
- speedway 9148, canton
- speedway 9161, canton
- speedway 9290, massillon
- speedway 9314, massillon
- speedway 9319, canton
- speedway 9379, north canton
- speedway 9399, canton
- speedway 9400, canton
- speedway 9758 9758, canton
- sree ganga llc, canton
- sunoco north canton, north canton
- ta north canton 095, north canton
- wales road one stop, massillon
- west long enterprises, massillon
- z & t bp428, canton
Combination Grocery/Other · 100
- a&s meats llc, alliance
- big lots 3019, canton
- cvs 2063, canton
- cvs 2385, north canton
- cvs 4802, hartville
- cvs 8248, massillon
- cvs pharmacy 10372, canton
- dollar general 10289, massillon
- dollar general 10704, canton
- dollar general 10731, canal fulton
- dollar general 10805, canton
- dollar general 14174, homeworth
- dollar general 14221, navarre
- dollar general 18257, e sparta
- dollar general 18322, louisville
- dollar general 18872, robertsville
- dollar general 2025, canton
- dollar general 3027, canal fulton
- dollar general 3237, canton
- dollar general 3412, waynesburg
- dollar general 4594, minerva
- dollar general 6564, hartville
- dollar general 7030, louisville
- dollar general 7215, canton
- dollar general 8358, massillon
- dollar general 9409, east canton
- dollar general 9449, canton
- dollar general 9790, alliance
- dollar tree 3349, canton
- dollartree 10241, canton
- dollartree 10663, canton
- dollartree 8003, louisville
- dollartree 9475, alliance
- discount drug mart 42, canton
- discount drug mart 46, north canton
- discount drug mart 51, north canton
- discount drug mart 89, canton
- dollar general 11020, canton
- dollar general 12191, canton
- dollar general 15303, uniontown
- dollar general 15443, massillon
- dollar general 15799, canton
- dollar general 16108, canton
- dollar general 17922, canton
- dollar general 19248, canton
- dollar general 19888, uniontown
- dollar general 21265, beach city
- dollar general 21534, north canton
- dollar general 21861, north canton
- dollar general 22472, minerva
- dollar general 22553, canton
- dollar general 24051, louisville
- dollar general 24205, louisville
- dollar general 30560, massillon
- dollar general 31480, massillon
- dollar general 4367, alliance
- dollar tree 0518, canton
- dollar tree 1746, alliance
- dollar tree 200, canton
- dollar tree 202, canton
- dollar tree 3384, massillon
- dollar tree 4981, north canton
- dollar tree 5844, canton
- dollar tree 6077, canton
- dollar tree 7124, canton
- dollar tree 7364, alliance
- dollar tree 7792, canal fulton
- dollar tree 7892, massillon
- dollar tree 7902, hartville
- dollartree 9169, canton
- family dollar 11172, massillon
- family dollar 12246, canton
- family dollar 1280, massillon
- family dollar 13319, east canton
- family dollar 13392, waynesburg
- family dollar 8362, north canton
- family dollar store 1348, canton
- family dollar store 2035, canton
- family dollar store 2425, alliance
- family dollar store 2453, canton
- family dollar store 4393, canton
- family dollar store 4769, brewster
- family dollar store 4816, magnolia
- family dollar store 5255, massillon
- family dollar store 5497, canton
- family dollar store 5661, alliance
- indo-pak grocery store, canton
- john georges, massillon
- oriental food and gift, canton
- postiy's columbus rd market, canton
- walgreens 03261, north canton
- walgreens 04044, canton
- walgreens 04101, canton
- walgreens 4983, canton
- walgreens 01337, canton
- walgreens 07865, massillon
- walgreens 09385, alliance
- walgreens 11810, north canton
- walgreens 15467, massillon
- young oriental food market, north canton
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- diga food corporation, alliance
- duma meats hartville market, hartville
- emmert's market, massillon
- hever's family meats, canton
- hartville hometown meats and seafood company, north canton
- naka boutique, canton
- sommers discount market, canton
- troyer's dutch market, massillon
Large Grocery Store · 5
- bartolone's country market llc, alliance
- iga brewster, brewster
- polen meats llc, east canton
- raisin rack natural foods inc, canton
- sommers market, hartville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 4
- canal fulton specialty meats, llc, canal fulton
- fat daddy's meats, massillon
- kiko meats inc., minerva
- strasburg meats, canton
Farmers' Market · 2
- canton farmers market, canton
- canton farmers' market, canton
Bakery Specialty · 1
- schwebel bakery outlet 04, north canton
Showing 250 of 312 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Stark County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Stark County sits inside Ohio (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 Stark County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Stark County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Stark County? ▼
Is Stark County a food desert? ▼
What share of Stark 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.