County food-access profile · Indiana
Vigo County, IN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Vigo County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 38.8%
- low-access pop.
- 13
- food-desert tracts
- 13.5%
- on SNAP
- 106K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
38.8% of Vigo County residents live in a low-access area, and 13 of its 28 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 7.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 19.2%
- 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).
USDA data puts Vigo County's low-access share at 38.8%, above the national share. 17 of the county's 28 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 41,839 people. 13 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 21,560 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 Vigo County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Vigo County's 38.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #449 most-affected nationwide.
Vigo County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 28 census tracts in Vigo County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Vigo County vs. other Indiana counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana
- Vigo
Vigo County, IN
38.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, IN
17.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, IN
37.8 % low-access
- Bartholomew
Bartholomew County, IN
36.4 % low-access
- Benton 1.7
Benton County, IN
1.7 % low-access
- Blackford 15.2
Blackford County, IN
15.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 28 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 107,848 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 17 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 13 |
| Low-Access Population | 41,839 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 21,560 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 106,109 |
| Median Household Income | $52,976 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,726 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.9%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 7.0% |
About 13.5% of Vigo County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 38.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,726 households here.
- 7.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 13 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 Vigo County
above the national share
13 of Vigo County's 28 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 46.4% of all its tracts.
A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 17.
An estimated 41,839 residents, roughly 38.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 21,560 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 11 tracts (39.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Vigo County
Vigo County has 110 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 54 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 54
- 25th market llc, terre haute
- a & g mini mart, terre haute
- ajabi corporation, terre haute
- bp gas station 1 9950, terre haute
- bp gas station 2 13200, terre haute
- bucks, terre haute
- casey's 3767, seelyville
- casey's general store 3931, terre haute
- casey's general store 1864, terre haute
- casey's general store 1993, w terre haute
- casey's general store 3070, terre haute
- casey's general store 3596, terre haute
- circle k 35, terre haute
- circle k 4702255, terre haute
- circle k 4702428, terre haute
- circle k 74, terre haute
- citgo food mart, terre haute
- cm food mart llc 1, west terre haute
- express mart, terre haute
- express way, terre haute
- express waymart, terre haute
- expressway mart, terre haute
- fort harrison mini mart, terre haute
- hira grocers inc/country mart, west terre haute
- infinity petroleum llc, terre haute
- jp stop & shop, terre haute
- kav petroleum inc, terre haute
- love's travel stop 664, terre haute
- mahadev enterprises llc, terre haute
- marathon gas and food, terre haute
- marathon junction, terre haute
- meijer gas station 285, terre haute
- montezuma properties llc, terre haute
- om foodmart llc, west terre haute
- pilot travel center 297, terre haute
- poplar st food mart inc, terre haute
- prairie creek food mart inc, prairie creek
- quiktrip 7264, terre haute
- rose petroleum llc, tere haute
- seelyville petroleum inc, seelyville
- speedway 5173, terre haute
- speedway 5196, terre haute
- speedway 7717, terre haute
- speedway 7718 7718, terre haute
- speedway 8533, terre haute
- t c wes variety store, terre haute
- terre haute quick pick inc, terre haute
- thorntons 450, terre haute
- thorntons 78, terre haute
- thorntons 80, terre haute
- ulloas market place, terre haute
- university mart llc, terre haute
- vigo market llc, terre haute
- wabash river petro llc, terre haute
Combination Grocery/Other · 35
- cvs 8650, terre haute
- cvs pharmacy 8639, terre haute
- cvs pharmacy 8679, terre haute
- dollar general 14384, terre haute
- dollar general 14463, terre haute
- dollar general 2569, terre haute
- dollar general 3862, west terre haute
- dollar general 4386, terre haute
- dollar general 4894, terre haute
- dollar general 6061, terre haute
- dollar general 9482, terre haute
- dollar tree 3164, terre haute
- dollartree 10166, terre haute
- dollartree 9589, terre haute
- dollar general 19846, terre haute
- dollar general 21473, new goshen
- dollar general 23308, terre haute
- dollar general 25134, terre haute
- dollar general 30802, terre haute
- dollar general 31104, terre haute
- dollar general 3740, terre haute
- dollar general 4504, terre haute
- dollar general 7358, terre haute
- dollar tree 3604, terre haute
- dollar tree 7134, terre haute
- dollar tree 7744, terre haute
- family dollar 11084, west terre haute
- family dollar 11223, terre haute
- family dollar 12222, terre haute
- family dollar store 11918, terre haute
- family dollar store 4059, terre haute
- rural king 05, terre haute
- walgreens 3486, terre haute
- walgreens 7443, terre haute
- walgreens 09711, terre haute
Super Store · 10
- baesler's market, terre haute
- fresh thyme market 212trh, terre haute
- kroger j-911, terre haute
- kroger j-987, terre haute
- kroger 981, terre haute
- meijer 285, terre haute
- sam's club 8135, terre haute
- terre haute south rural king 136, terre haute
- walmart 1310, terre haute
- walmart supercenter 4235, terre haute
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 44065 44065, terre haute
- aldi 44064, terre haute
- gordon food service store mp105, terre haute
- plaza north save-a-lot 595, terre haute
- west vigo iga 383, west terre haute
Small Grocery Store · 3
- 420 market llc, west terre haute
- fox grocery, terre haute
- penny savers 2, terre haute
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- kroc's butcher shop, terre haute
- pohlmans meat processing, terre haute
Farmers' Market · 1
- terre haute farmers market nafmnp, terre haute
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Indiana
Compare Vigo County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Food access nationally, Indiana in context
Vigo County sits inside Indiana (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 Vigo County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Vigo County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Vigo County? ▼
Is Vigo County a food desert? ▼
What share of Vigo 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.