County food-access profile · New Jersey
Union County, NJ
Union 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.
- 11.0%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 8.8%
- on SNAP
- 579K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
11.0% of Union County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 108 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 27
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
- 10.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 9.2%
- 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).
Union County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.0% per the USDA Atlas. 27 of the county's 108 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 58,810 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,062 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 Union County compares nationally
Union County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.0% low-access share that beats 23% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,408).
Union County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 108 census tracts in Union County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Union County vs. other New Jersey counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New Jersey
- Union 11
Union County, NJ
11 % low-access
- Atlantic
Atlantic County, NJ
30.1 % low-access
- Bergen 10.3
Bergen County, NJ
10.3 % low-access
- Burlington
Burlington County, NJ
36.3 % low-access
- Camden
Camden County, NJ
20 % low-access
- Cape May
Cape May County, NJ
32.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 108 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 536,499 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 27 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 58,810 |
| Low-Access Share | 11.0%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,062 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 579,290 |
| Median Household Income | $103,202 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 17,870 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
About 8.8% of Union County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 11.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 17,870 households here.
- 10.2% 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 Union County
near the national share
2 of Union County's 108 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 1.9% of all its tracts.
A further 25 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 27.
An estimated 58,810 residents, roughly 11.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 5,062 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 81 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Union County
Union County has 344 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 135 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 135
- 7 - eleven inc f 11436f, springfield
- 7 eleven 2413 37561a, westfield
- 7 eleven 2413 37922a, linden
- 7 eleven 2413 39228b, union
- 7- eleven inc f 34247a, roselle park
- 7-eleven 35620a, rahway
- 7-eleven inc f 23491c, linden
- 7-eleven inc f 24107c, summit
- 7-eleven inc f 27442c, roselle park
- 7-eleven store #39230b 39230b, elizabeth
- 7-eleven store #39329a, linden
- 7-eleven store 36049a, linden
- 7-eleven store 37072a, linden
- 7-eleven 35431c, plainfield
- 7-eleven inc f 27887c, roselle
- 7-eleven store #11434a #11434a, union
- 7-eleven store #35033b 35033b, clark
- 7-eleven store #36431c 36431c, linden
- 7-eleven store #37619b 37619b, cranford
- 7-eleven store #39182d 39182d, roselle
- 7-eleven store 1802d, elizabeth
- 7-eleven store 23789g, elizabeth
- 7-eleven store 2413 33431a, garwood
- 7-eleven store 2413 35039b, hillside
- 7-eleven store 2413 39497b, elizabethport
- 7-eleven store 2413 39571b, union
- 7-eleven store 33256-c 33256c, springfield
- 7-eleven store 34219b, union
- 7-eleven store 38126a, summit
- 7-eleven store 38719a 38719a, hillside
- a1 subs & deli, linden
- aj deli grocery store 2 llc, elizabeth
- amelia grocery, plainfield
- arman foods, elizabeth
- bp station (to go), elizabeth
- bayway petroleum llc 69, elizabeth
- beira supermarket inc, elizabeth
- burnet deli & grill, union
- c & c deli, elizabeth
- court st deli & grocery llc, elizabethport
- d & l meat and deli, elizabeth
- discount depot, union
- daily grocery, elizabethport
- dollar & up, elizabeth
- dollar zone 38, linden
- e - z grocery, elizabethport
- e-z chek food store, linden
- el almacen, rahway
- el gallo grocery y variedades llc, plainfield
- ez quick food store, elizabeth
- f & s mini market llc, vauxhall
- family market, elizabethport
- food express no, summit
- freshmart, scotch plains
- harrys grab n go, hillside
- j&pm two services corp, rahway
- j.m. medina food market, elizabethport
- jiordy mini market, elizabeth
- jmy mini market llc/jmy mini market, elizabeth
- k and j food mart, elizabeth
- krauszer's food mart & grill, linden
- krauszer's food store, springfield
- krauszer's food store, rahway
- krishna general store, roselle
- l & n grocery, elizabethport
- l b hillside convenience store, hillside
- la bendicion mini market, elizabeth
- la delicia grocery llc, plainfield
- la ideal supermarket, elizabethport
- la mecha deli market, elizabeth
- legends supermarket, rahway
- leland liquor & deli, plainfield
- lewis super market, elizabethport
- linden convenience store and deli, linden
- lucky bodega llc, roselle
- luis grocery deli, elizabethport
- magie mart food store & deli, union
- mecho supermarket llc, elizabethport
- mi pais supermarket llc, plainfield
- mommy's grocery, elizabeth
- mommyo deli llc 0, union
- narnarayan 1 inc/narnarayan 1 inc, elizabethport
- nealtican grocery & deli, roselle
- ny hollywood, hillside
- olowosibi african market, linden
- park convenience, plainfield
- portillo sisters deli, plainfield
- prince deli 1, roselle
- quick food deli, elizabeth
- quick buy food store, linden
- quick fair food market, elizabeth
- quick n go, elizabeth
- quick shop convenience store, union
- quick stop convenience, plainfield
- quick stop food store, elizabeth
- quickstop deli&grill, union
- rob's deli & grocery, plainfield
- rahim grocery, elizabeth
- ravi west indian grocery and convenience store, plainfield
- rd mini market, elizabeth
- rimi deli store, plainfield
- ron's deli, elizabeth
- rudiel supermarket, plainfield
- rumba t. supermarket, elizabeth
- sarita market shop, elizabeth
- scott ave grocery and deli, rahway
- scott ave mini mart 1, rahway
- shell, rahway
- speedway 3495, elizabeth
- speedy mart, hillside
- star fuels llc, scotch plains
- summer deli, elizabeth
- t & g food store no, elizabeth
- tejada supermarket, plainfield
- the cardboard, elizabeth
- titas market place, elizabeth
- torres market, elizabeth
- two lucky convenience store, hillside
- us food mart, elizabeth
- valdez grocery llc, plainfield
- varsha convenience store, elizabeth
- wawa store 8392, roselle
- washington mini market, elizabeth
- wawa 8389, rahway
- wawa food market 8320, elizabeth
- wawa store 8379, cranford
- wawa store 8439, linden
- wawa store 8445 8445, springfield,
- wawa store 8464, plainfield
- wawa store 8465, union
- wawa store 8497, linden
- welsh farm, garwood
- welsh farms food store, roselle
- yd&d grocery store, elizabeth
- z&j services llc 1, elizabethport
Combination Grocery/Other · 77
- cvs 10611, linden
- cvs 3596, berkeley heights
- cvs pharmacy 1956, scotch plains
- cvs pharmacy 6071, summit
- cvs pharmacy 648, linden
- cvs pharmacy 7613, elizabeth
- cvs pharmacy 905, rahway
- cvs pharmacy 955, elizabeth
- cvs pharmacy inc 479, hillside
- cvs pharmacy 11370, plainfield
- cvs pharmacy 125, new providence
- cvs pharmacy 2064, roselle
- cvs pharmacy 2796, clark
- cvs pharmacy 4131, garwood
- cvs pharmacy 4259, union
- cvs pharmacy 5771, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 6074, westfield
- cvs pharmacy 667, union
- cvs pharmacy cvs02026, union
- dollar general 19341, elizabeth
- dollartree 10015, union
- dollartree 9596, westfield
- dollar general 12063, cranford
- dollar general 12074, elizabeth
- dollar general 12585, roselle
- dollar general 12859, plainfield
- dollar general 15161, hillside
- dollar general 20862, linden
- dollar general 24831, elizabeth
- dollar general store 16678, elizabeth
- dollar tree 1776, watchung
- dollar tree 3099, union
- dollar tree 4248, rahway
- dollar tree 5157, linden
- dollar tree 5331, roselle park
- dollar tree 7135, plainfield
- dollar tree 7515, union
- dollar tree 7735, roselle
- dollar tree 7801, linden
- dollar tree 8589, springfield
- family dollar 11301, plainfield
- family dollar 11667, linden
- family dollar 11834, elizabeth
- family dollar 12157, elizabethport
- family dollar 4560, roselle park
- family dollar 6770, plainfield
- family dollar 6965, plainfield
- family dollar 7081, elizabeth
- family dollar 9087, elizabeth
- finarc market, union
- precious international llc, plainfield
- pulaski meat products, inc., linden
- quick chek food stores 023, clark
- quick chek food stores 078, fanwood
- quick chek food stores 30, union
- quick chek food stores 55, rahway
- quick chek 90, rahway
- quick chek corporation 174, cranford
- quick chek corporation 45, union
- quickchek 196, plainfield
- the masala company, union
- walgreens 06620, roselle
- walgreens 3431, union
- walgreens 02884, elizabeth
- walgreens 06748, elizabeth
- walgreens 07969, berkeley heights
- walgreens 09332, cranford
- walgreens 13440, springfield
- walgreens 13700, westfield
- walgreens 13705, vauxhall
- walgreens 16260, hillside
- walgreens 17957, union
- walgreens 18277, elizabeth
- walgreens 18312, clark
- walgreens 4109, linden
- walgreens 4287, rahway
- walgreens 5248, plainfield
Medium Grocery Store · 23
- acoreana supermarket, elizabeth
- best shop supermarket, elizabeth
- c & k grocery and smoke shop, elizabeth
- cepeda deli & grocery llc 1, elizabethport
- eveli supermarket corp., elizabethport
- front supermarket, plainfield
- go meat supermarket t/a daisys supermarket, elizabeth
- green village farm, plainfield
- janosik deli 1, linden
- jefferson food market, elizabeth
- lala market llc, plainfield
- meat city, linden
- quisquella supermarket llc, elizabethport
- raymonds supermarket ii, elizabethport
- riverside sup/beira ria fd mkt in, elizabeth
- roselle farm, roselle
- rt 27 farm market, linden
- sb morris ave. corporation, elizabeth
- seafane convenient store 1, roselle
- sk food zone, llc, hillside
- tu pais mini market, elizabeth
- valdez supermarket llc, plainfield
- world supermarket, plainfield
Large Grocery Store · 6
- city supermarket, kenilworth
- despensa del ahorro giants market llc, elizabeth
- el rey supermarket, elizabethport
- elizabeth one stop kosher, elizabeth
- rahway garden farm, rahway
- times farm, union
Seafood Specialty · 4
- algarve fresh fish and seafood llc, elizabeth
- gim fish market, elizabeth
- halcyon blue, rahway
- petes fish markets, plainfield
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- centannis meat mkt, elizabeth
- doukey, plainfield
- los ranchos live poultry inc., elizabethport
Delivery Route · 1
- mr. fish wholesale delivery service, roselle
Farmers' Market · 1
- dreyer farms llc, cranford
Showing 250 of 344 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New Jersey
Compare Union County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Food access nationally, New Jersey in context
Union County sits inside New Jersey (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 Union County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Union County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Union County? ▼
Is Union County a food desert? ▼
What share of Union 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.