Signature · 28 SNAP-authorized stores
Union County, OR
Union County lands in the lower national band on low-access (12.1%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 12.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 19.4%
- on SNAP
- 26K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Union County, OR
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 12.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -10.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.4% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clatsop County (+ 0.3 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Union County lands in the lower national band (12.1%, #2,333 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,333
- national by low-access %
- #29
- in OR
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 967
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 28 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Union County compares nationally
Union County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 12.1% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,333).
Union County's lower-band USDA tier split
8 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Union County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (4 rural, 4 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 4 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Union County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Oregon, not a full county-board reprint
- Wheeler
Wheeler 100%
100 % low-access
- Lincoln 14.2
Lincoln 14.2%
14.2 % low-access
- Jefferson 12.5
Jefferson 12.5%
12.5 % low-access
- Clatsop 12.4
Clatsop 12.4%
12.4 % low-access
- Union 12.1
Union 12.1%
12.1 % low-access
- Coos 10.6
Coos 10.6%
10.6 % low-access
- Tillamook 2.9
Tillamook 2.9%
2.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 25,748 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,119 |
| Low-Access Share | 12.1%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 967 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 26,144 |
| Median Household Income | $65,661 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,114 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.4%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Union County
Union County has 28 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 28 authorized stores; La Grande holds 61% of them. 2 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: North Powder, Cove.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| La Grande | 17 | 2 |
| Elgin | 4 | 2 |
| Island City | 2 | 2 |
| North Powder | 2 | none |
| Union | 2 | 1 |
| Cove | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 13
- badger mart 1, north powder
- cj's country store, north powder
- cm chevron, la grande
- dollars corner, cove
- eat & run exxon, la grande
- global af dba lbbc, la grande
- island city market and deli, la grande
- jacksons food stores 175, la grande
- la grande smoke shop, la grande
- oak st mobil, la grande
- short stop, la grande
- store 934, la grande
- union food mart, union
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- bi-mart 637, la grande
- dollar general 22322, elgin
- dollar tree 3067, la grande
Large Grocery Store · 3
- elgin food town, elgin
- nature's pantry, la grande
- union market, union
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- billybob's butcher shop, elgin
- hines meat company, la grande
Supermarket · 2
- la grande grocery outlet, island city
- safeway 1827, la grande
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's pizza or048, la grande
Farmers' Market · 1
- la grande farmers market, la grande
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- elgin corner market, elgin
Small Grocery Store · 1
- kauffman's market and deli, la grande
Super Store · 1
- walmart 1889, island city
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Oregon
One of 35 counties in Oregon, 6 are shown here.
Compare Union County vs Baker County → · All Oregon counties →
Counties near Union County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Union County, both outside Oregon so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside OR (12.1% here).
- Lawrence County, OH · 12.1% low-access
- Washington County, MO · 12.1% low-access
- Fayette County, WV · 12.1% low-access
- Winona County, MN · 12.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside OR (19.4% here).
- Johnston County, OK · 19.4% SNAP
- Venango County, PA · 19.4% SNAP
- Hampton County, SC · 19.4% SNAP
- Titus County, TX · 19.4% 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.
Oregon among Pacific states
Oregon ranks 4th of 5 Pacific states by population-weighted low-access (16.9%). Union County, at 12.1%, runs 4.8 pts below the Oregon rate.
- Alaska 30.9%
- Hawaii 26.7%
- Washington 23.1%
- Oregon 16.9%
- California 13.3%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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, OR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 41061. 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.