County food-access profile · Oregon
Union County, OR
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.
- 12.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 19.4%
- on SNAP
- 26K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
12.1% of Union County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 967
- food-desert residents
- 7.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.1%
- 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 12.1% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,119 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 967 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 12.1% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,335).
Union County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 8 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 Oregon counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Oregon
- Union 12.1
Union County, OR
12.1 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, OR
37.9 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, OR
27.9 % low-access
- Clackamas
Clackamas County, OR
17.3 % low-access
- Clatsop 12.4
Clatsop County, OR
12.4 % low-access
- Columbia 6.1
Columbia County, OR
6.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| 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% |
About 19.4% of Union County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 12.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 19.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,114 households here.
- 7.3% 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 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% 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 3,119 residents, roughly 12.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 967 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 4 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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.
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 retailers.
Other Counties in Oregon
Compare Union County vs Baker County → · All Oregon counties →
Food access nationally, Oregon in context
Union County sits inside Oregon (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.