Signature · 52 SNAP-authorized stores
Tuscola County, MI
Tuscola 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.
- 15.3%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.2%
- on SNAP
- 53K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Tuscola County, MI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 15.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 15% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Delta County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Tuscola County ranks #2,100 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #46 of 80 counties in MI (15.3% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #2,100
- national by low-access %
- #46
- in MI
- 4
- 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: 52 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Tuscola County compares nationally
Tuscola County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.3% low-access share that beats 33% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,100).
Tuscola County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Tuscola County has 2 urban and 11 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.
Tuscola County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Michigan, not a full county-board reprint
- Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft 46%
46 % low-access
- Baraga 15.4
Baraga 15.4%
15.4 % low-access
- Tuscola 15.3
Tuscola 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Delta 15.3
Delta 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- St. Joseph 15.2
St. Joseph 15.2%
15.2 % low-access
- Gogebic 15.1
Gogebic 15.1%
15.1 % low-access
- Arenac 0
Arenac 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 13 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 55,729 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 8,541 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,788 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 52,980 |
| Median Household Income | $63,811 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.8%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,061 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Tuscola County
Tuscola County has 52 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (63% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 33
- beacon & bridge market 11, reese
- beacon & bridge market 22, vassar
- bens supercenter fuelcenter llc gt, gagetown
- bo s village peddler, millington
- crossroads 1, caro
- de-j's party store, fairgrove
- deford county grocery, deford
- deo volente 2, caro
- express stop 4671, cass city
- express stop 4672, mayville
- fostoria grocery ii, fostoria
- fairgrove oil and propane 1, fairgrove
- forward shell-vassar 189, vassar
- g c express, caro
- halies quick stop, akron
- healed beyond hope, millington
- itimad inc, vassar
- kingston corners 1, kingston
- log cabin fastlane 170, akron
- m-81 corner marathon, caro
- patriot party mart, caro
- quaker maid dairy store, cass city
- simon's our family 4658, millington
- speedway 8394, millington
- speedway 8395, vassar
- speedway 8396, caro
- speedway 8397, caro
- speedyq markets 8236, reese
- speedyq markets 8263, unionville
- thumb meat market, caro
- watrousville market, vassar
- worths party store, millington
- ziel's wine shop, caro
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- bens supercenter cass city llc, cass city
- dollar general 10563, caro
- dollar general 14102, reese
- dollar general 15906, millington
- dollar general 16660, kingston
- dollar general 17547, mayville
- dollar general 22832, vassar
- dollar general store 13217, vassar
- dollar tree 5352, caro
- family dollar store 3208, vassar
Super Store · 3
- central shop rite, vassar
- neiman's family market 442, mayville
- walmart supercenter 1798, caro
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- john henrys meats, millington
- smith meats 1, millington
Supermarket · 2
- aldi 67112, caro
- norms market & catering, richville
Farmers' Market · 1
- caro farmers market 9896737671, caro
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- mikes corner market, vassar
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Michigan
One of 82 counties in Michigan, 6 are shown here.
Compare Tuscola County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Nationwide peers for Tuscola County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Tuscola County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MI (15.3% here).
- Howard County, MO · 15.3% low-access
- Howard County, MO · 15.3% low-access
- Effingham County, IL · 15.3% low-access
- Effingham County, IL · 15.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (14.2% here).
- Jones County, MS · 14.2% SNAP
- Jones County, MS · 14.2% SNAP
- West Feliciana Parish, LA · 14.2% SNAP
- West Feliciana Parish, LA · 14.2% 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, Michigan in context
Tuscola County sits inside Michigan (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 Tuscola County, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26157. 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.