Signature · 4.1% SNAP (3rd pct in MN)
Washington County, MN
Washington County sits in the upper national band on low-access (45.8%, +23.7 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 45.8%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 4.1%
- on SNAP
- 276K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washington County, MN
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-SEVERE 45.8% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +23.7 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 4.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 4% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Nicollet County ( -0.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Washington County sits in the upper national band (45.8%, #268 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #268
- national by low-access %
- #4
- in MN
- 35
- low-access tracts
- 15K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 4.1% SNAP (3rd pct in MN) (-8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Washington County compares nationally
Washington County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 45.8% low-access share outpaces 91% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #268 most-affected nationwide.
Washington County's elevated USDA tier split
50 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 41 urban and 9 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.
Washington County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Minnesota, not a full county-board reprint
- Red Lake
Red Lake 99.2%
99.2 % low-access
- McLeod
McLeod 47.3%
47.3 % low-access
- Washington
Washington 45.8%
45.8 % low-access
- Nicollet
Nicollet 44.9%
44.9 % low-access
- Grant
Grant 44.1%
44.1 % low-access
- Lake of the W…
Lake of the W… 41.2%
41.2 % low-access
- Fillmore 2.7
Fillmore 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 50 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 238,136 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 35 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 109,179 |
| Low-Access Share | 45.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,541 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 276,238 |
| Median Household Income | $115,345 |
| Poverty Rate | 5.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,312 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.1%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
Thick SNAP store book in Washington County
Washington County has 117 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 55 locations (47% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 55
- bp gas, stillwater
- cottage grove holiday 3512, cottage grove
- cottage grove holiday 3827, cottage grove
- ebados mini mart 1, newport
- express lane 5511, lake st croix beach
- express lane 5518, saint paul
- federated co-ops inc. - scandia cenex 027, scandia
- forest lake motomart 3304, forest lake
- holiday 2653568 2653568, lake elmo
- holiday sationstore 2746310, lake elmo
- holiday stationstore 2746444, saint paul
- holiday stationstore 2746236, forest lake
- holiday stationstore 2746237, oak park heights
- holiday stationstore 2746352, oakdale
- holiday stationstore 2746374, cottage grove
- holiday stationstore 2746375, bayport
- holiday stationstore 2746442, stillwater
- holiday stationstore 2746443, cottage grove
- holiday stationstore 2746478, lakeland
- holiday stationstore 2746484, hastings
- holiday stationstores 2746253, forest lake
- holiday stationstores 2746311, forest lake
- holiday stationstores 2746585, cottage grove
- hy-vee c-store 1090, cottage grove
- hy-vee gas 5462, oakdale
- kwik trip 407, woodbury
- kwik trip 408, woodbury
- kwik trip 415, stillwater
- kwik trip 429, forest lake
- kwik trip 454, hugo
- kwik trip 1078, lake elmo
- kwik trip 111, oak park heights
- kwik trip 1182, centerville
- kwik trip 248, lake elmo
- kwik trip 869, oakdale
- lake elmo market, lake elmo
- love's travel stop 832, columbus
- neighbor stop 103, stillwater
- oakdale holiday 3513, saint paul
- seasons market holiday 3535, saint paul
- shree pramukh inc, saint paul
- speedway 4184, saint paul park
- speedway 4204, saint paul
- speedway 4215, saint paul
- speedway 4216, saint paul
- speedway 4370, forest lake
- speedway 4459, newport
- speedway 4488, saint paul
- speedway 4518, woodbury
- speedway 4526, saint paul
- speedway 4549, stillwater
- speedway 4713, hugo
- speedway 7036, oak park heights
- to go amoco, stillwater
- woodbury holiday 3828, saint paul
Super Store · 19
- costco wholesale 1272, saint paul
- festival foods, hugo
- hy-vee 1090, cottage grove
- hy-vee 1462, oakdale
- kowalskis oak park heights, oak park heights
- kowalskis woodbury market 5633, woodbury
- river market community co-op, stillwater
- sam's club 6312, woodbury
- target 2406, saint paul
- target store 1244, forest lake
- target store 2135, oakdale
- target store 662, cottage grove
- target store 694, woodbury
- target store 931, stillwater
- walmart 1861, oak park hgts
- walmart supercenter 2274, forest lake
- walmart supercenter 2448, cottage grove
- walmart supercenter 2643, woodbury
- whole foods market 10628, woodbury
Combination Grocery/Other · 15
- cvs 7406, woodbury
- cvs pharmacy 1746, woodbury
- dollar tree 3073, woodbury
- dollar tree 3739, oakdale
- dollar tree 4375, stillwater
- dollar tree 4491, woodbury
- dollar tree 4821, cottage grove
- dollar tree 5533, forest lake
- walgreens 02769, saint paul
- walgreens 03122, oakdale
- walgreens 06056, woodbury
- walgreens 06057, cottage grove
- walgreens 06916, oak park heights
- walgreens 07111, forest lake
- walgreens 10188, woodbury
Supermarket · 15
- aldi 72011, woodbury
- aldi 72012, forest lake
- aldi 72145, saint paul
- aldi 72154, lino lakes
- aldi 80073 80073, mahtomedi
- aldi 72008, oak park heights
- aldi 72014, cottage grove
- cub foods 1589, oakdale
- cub foods 1612, stillwater
- cub foods 1613, cottage grove
- cub foods 1634, forest lake
- cub foods woodbury 5517, woodbury
- jerry's foods woodbury 5627, woodbury
- lunds & byerlys 15031, saint paul
- trader joe's 715, woodbury
Bakery Specialty · 5
- papa murphys - cottage grove mn021, cottage grove
- papa murphys - stillwater mn060, stillwater
- papa murphys - woodbury (commerce) mn106, saint paul
- papa murphys - woodbury (currell) mn037, saint paul
- papa murphys mn093, hugo
Large Grocery Store · 4
- brine's market and deli, stillwater
- fresh india, saint paul
- india market, lake elmo
- mike's discount foods, forest lake
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- hogmasters, hugo
- von hansons meats, cottage grove
- von hanson's meats of woodbury, woodbury
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- len's family foods, stillwater
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Minnesota
One of 86 counties in Minnesota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Washington County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →
Counties near Washington County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Washington County (4.1%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Minnesota.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MN (45.8% here).
- Leavenworth County, KS · 45.8% low-access
- Leavenworth County, KS · 45.8% low-access
- Botetourt County, VA · 45.8% low-access
- Botetourt County, VA · 45.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MN (4.1% here).
- Walsh County, ND · 4.1% SNAP
- Walsh County, ND · 4.1% SNAP
- Blaine County, ID · 4.1% SNAP
- Blaine County, ID · 4.1% 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.
Washington County inside a higher low-access state context
Washington County sits inside Minnesota (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 Washington County, MN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 27163. 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.