PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

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 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

15.3% of Tuscola County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.2%
households, no vehicle
12.8%
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).

Tuscola County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.3% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 13 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 8,541 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,788 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 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).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Tuscola County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 census tracts in Tuscola County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Tuscola County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (69.2%) 2 tracts limited (15.4%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (15.4%) Adequate 69% Limited 15% Severe 15% Food-access tier distribution: Tuscola County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Tuscola County vs. other Michigan counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Tuscola County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)55,729
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population8,541
Low-Access Share15.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,788

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Tuscola County
IndicatorValue
Population52,980
Median Household Income$63,811
Poverty Rate12.8%near the national average
SNAP Households3,061
SNAP Participation Rate14.2%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.6%
SNAP participation in Tuscola County 14.2%

About 14.2% of Tuscola County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 15.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,061 households here.
  • 6.2% 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 Tuscola County

near the national share

2 of Tuscola County's 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.4% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 8,541 residents, roughly 15.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,788 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (69.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers 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 retailers.

Other Counties in Michigan

Alcona County
15.6% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Alger County
12.8% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Allegan County
20.8% low-access · 7.8% SNAP
Alpena County
15.9% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Antrim County
0.2% low-access · 10.0% SNAP
Arenac County
0.0% low-access · 16.1% SNAP

Compare Tuscola County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Tuscola County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Tuscola County has low food access? ▼
15.3% of residents in Tuscola County, MI live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Tuscola County? ▼
14.2% of households in Tuscola County receive SNAP, covering 3,061 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Tuscola County? ▼
The poverty rate in Tuscola County, MI is 12.8%, with a median household income of $63,811 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Tuscola County a food desert? ▼
2 of Tuscola County's 13 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Tuscola County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.2% of households in Tuscola County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.