Signature · 7.9% low-access (15th pct)
Union County, IL
Union County lands in the lower national band on low-access (7.9%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 7.9%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 17.3%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Union County, IL
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ADEQUATE 7.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -14.2 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 17.3% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 9.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Johnson County ( -0.4 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Union County lands in the lower national band (7.9%, #2,655 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,655
- national by low-access %
- #91
- in IL
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 517
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 7.9% low-access (15th pct) (-14.2 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Union County compares nationally
Food access in Union County compares favorably nationally: its 7.9% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 15% of them (rank #2,656).
Union County's lower-band USDA tier split
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Union County has 2 urban and 3 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.
Union County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Massac 8.5
Massac 8.5%
8.5 % low-access
- White 8.5
White 8.5%
8.5 % low-access
- Union 7.9
Union 7.9%
7.9 % low-access
- Johnson 7.5
Johnson 7.5%
7.5 % low-access
- Cook 7.4
Cook 7.4%
7.4 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 17,808 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,401 |
| Low-Access Share | 7.9%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 517 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,997 |
| Median Household Income | $55,728 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,191 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.6%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.1% |
SNAP retailers in Union County
Union County has 19 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (37% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 7
- acee's dongola 235, dongola
- anna zx 203, anna
- casey's general store 2073, anna
- casey's general store 2290, jonesboro
- dutys country store llc, alto pass
- farm fresh, anna
- rhodes convenience stores, inc. 410, anna
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 10617, jonesboro
- dollar general 1068, anna
- dollar general 13825, dongola
- dollar general 16107, cobden
- dollar tree 5103, anna
- walgreens 12581, anna
Super Store · 2
- kroger l-672, anna
- walmart supercenter 233, anna
Farmers' Market · 1
- leaf farmer's market, cobden
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- triple c meats, anna
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- home town grocery, dongola
Seafood Specialty · 1
- seafood specialties, anna
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Union County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Counties near Union County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Union County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (7.9% here).
- Blaine County, ID · 7.9% low-access
- Blaine County, ID · 7.9% low-access
- Cattaraugus County, NY · 7.9% low-access
- Cattaraugus County, NY · 7.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (17.3% here).
- Boyd County, KY · 17.3% SNAP
- Boyd County, KY · 17.3% SNAP
- Polk County, GA · 17.3% SNAP
- Polk County, GA · 17.3% 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.
Union County inside a lower low-access state context
Union County sits inside Illinois (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 Union County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17181. 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.