County food-access profile · Indiana
Sullivan County, IN
Sullivan County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 11.0%
- on SNAP
- 21K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.9% of Sullivan County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 4.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.9%
- 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).
Sullivan County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.9% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,408 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,167 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 Sullivan County compares nationally
Sullivan County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Sullivan County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Sullivan County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Sullivan County vs. other Indiana counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana
- Sullivan
Sullivan County, IN
15.9 % 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 | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 21,475 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,408 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,167 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 20,780 |
| Median Household Income | $56,204 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.9%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 863 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.0%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 10.0% |
About 11.0% of Sullivan County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 863 households here.
- 4.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 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 Sullivan County
near the national share
2 of Sullivan County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 3,408 residents, roughly 15.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,167 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Sullivan County
Sullivan County has 21 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 9 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 9
- cvs 6700, sullivan
- dollar general 10319, carlisle
- dollar general 2570, clinton
- dollar general 4302, sullivan
- dollar general 8284, farmersburg
- dollar general 12077, shelburn
- dollar general 16056, dugger
- dollar general 22976, hymera
- family dollar 13438, sullivan
Convenience Store · 8
- casey's general store 1791, sullivan
- casey's general store 1865, dugger
- casey's general store 3633, shelburn
- fast jack's marathon, graysville
- friendly porch, sullivan
- per incorporated marathon, hymera
- speedway 7716, sullivan
- sunmart, farmersburg
Super Store · 2
- baesler's market, sullivan
- walmart 617, sullivan
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- kroc's butcher shop llc, farmersburg
Supermarket · 1
- save a lot 149, sullivan
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Indiana
Compare Sullivan County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Food access nationally, Indiana in context
Sullivan 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 Sullivan County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Sullivan County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Sullivan County? ▼
Is Sullivan County a food desert? ▼
What share of Sullivan 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.