County food-access profile · Michigan
Washtenaw County, MI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Washtenaw 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).
- 25.2%
- low-access pop.
- 15
- food-desert tracts
- 8.5%
- on SNAP
- 370K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.2% of Washtenaw County residents live in a low-access area, and 15 of its 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 39
- low-access tracts
- 21K
- food-desert residents
- 8.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.2%
- 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 Washtenaw County's low-access share at 25.2%, above the national share. 39 of the county's 100 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 86,764 people. 15 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 20,902 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 Washtenaw County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Washtenaw County's 25.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,282 most-affected nationwide.
Washtenaw County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 100 census tracts in Washtenaw County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Washtenaw County vs. other Michigan counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan
- Washtenaw
Washtenaw County, MI
25.2 % low-access
- Alcona
Alcona County, MI
15.6 % low-access
- Alger
Alger County, MI
12.8 % low-access
- Allegan
Allegan County, MI
20.8 % low-access
- Alpena
Alpena County, MI
15.9 % low-access
- Antrim 0.2
Antrim County, MI
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 100 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 344,791 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 39 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 15 |
| Low-Access Population | 86,764 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 20,902 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 369,822 |
| Median Household Income | $89,180 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 12,830 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.2%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.2% |
About 8.5% of Washtenaw County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 12,830 households here.
- 8.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 15 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 Washtenaw County
above the national share
15 of Washtenaw County's 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.0% of all its tracts.
A further 24 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 39.
An estimated 86,764 residents, roughly 25.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 20,902 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 61 tracts (61.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County has 225 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 116 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 116
- 2375grove corp 6228, ypsilanti
- 2642golfside corp., ann arbor
- 2991 s state street inc, ann arbor
- 7-eleven 32330m, ypsilanti
- 7-eleven, inc. store #35775 a, ann arbor
- 7-eleven 34621c, ann arbor
- 7-eleven 34931a, ann arbor
- 7-eleven 39914-a, ann arbor
- a & w party store, ypsilanti
- ahmed beydoun service, ypsilanti
- ann arbor beer depot inc, ann arbor
- ann arbor party center, ann arbor
- arbor party store, ann arbor
- avenue market, ypsilanti
- barenys convenience mart 2 1, ypsilanti
- beer cooler, ypsilanti
- beer cooler party store, ypsilanti
- bp gas station, ypsilanti
- buscemi's of ann arbor, ann arbor
- carpenter, ann arbor
- chelsea petroleum, chelsea
- circle k 4706218, ysplanti
- circle k 4706300, ypsilanti
- circle k 4706301, ann arbor
- citgo, ypsilanti
- citgo, ann arbor
- clark gas station, ann arbor
- country fair market, northville
- eagles market, ypsilanti
- early times liquor store, ypsilanti
- eastern fuel mart, ypsilanti
- ecorse bp, ypsilanti
- emu party store, ypsilanti
- express stop 4665, manchester
- express stop 4666, dexter
- express stop 4667, whitmore lake
- fox hills market, plymouth
- fran's petrol, ypsilanti
- grove mini mart inc, ypsilanti
- h & m fuel mart, ypsilanti
- harvest liquor shop, ypsilanti
- house of liquor, ann arbor
- in n out, ypsilanti
- joe hall quick stop inc, ypsilanti
- kampus korner, ypsilanti
- legent mini mart, ypsilanti
- love's travel stop 701, capac
- love's travel stop 757, milan
- m & a grab n go, ypsilanti
- m&j party store, ypsilanti
- main party store, ann arbor
- mugg&bopps 5, dexter
- main street convenience, inc., ann arbor
- maple in - n - out, ann arbor
- matias italian bakery, ypsilanti
- mcheik oil co inc, ypsilanti
- meijer gas station 173, ann arbor
- meijer gas station 27, ypsilanti
- meijer gas station 64, ann arbor
- midway 1 llc, ypsilanti
- mobil, ypsilanti
- mobil, whitmore lake
- munchies ann arbor llc, ann arbor
- n r food & gas, ypsilanti
- nick's quick stop, ypsilanti
- noor mini mart, ann arbor
- north lake marathon, chelsea
- northside liquor, ann arbor
- orange market, ann arbor
- pilot travel center 21, dexter
- pilot travel center 296, dexter
- platt convenience, ann arbor
- prospect party store, ypsilanti
- rbj petroleum, inc., chelsea
- raza corporation inc, ann arbor
- red party store, willis
- round haus marketplace, ypsilanti
- rp fuel 1, milan
- saline market, saline
- saline village party store, saline
- samaha oil co, ann arbor
- smokerz town and grocery, ypsilanti
- speedway 2270, ypsilanti
- speedway 2329, saline
- speedway 2368, ypsilanti
- speedway 7250, chelsea
- speedway 7867 7867, ann arbor
- speedway 8705, ann arbor
- speedway 8707, ann arbor
- speedway 8708, ann arbor
- speedway 8876, whitmore lake
- speedway 8884, ypsilanti
- stadium store inc, ann arbor
- standard auto service center 1, ypsilanti
- state petro inc, ann arbor
- state street fuel mart inc, ann arbor
- stony creek market, ypsilanti
- summit party store, ann arbor
- ta ann arbor 089, dexter
- target ii party shoppe, ypsilanti
- textile gas and grocery, inc, ypsilanti
- the keg party shoppe, ypsilanti
- tibnan, willis
- umiya corp of michigan, saline
- university fuel mart, ann arbor
- willis market, willis
- wolverine party shoppe, ann arbor
- washtenaw food & gas inc, ann arbor
- washtenaw fuel, ann arbor
- washtenaw liquor store, ypsilanti
- willow run party store, ypsilanti
- ypsi convenience, ypsilanti
- ypsi highlander market inc, ypsilanti
- ypsilanti business ventures, llc, ypsilanti
- zaitona gas station, inc., ann arbor
- zhkm corporation inc, ann arbor
Combination Grocery/Other · 38
- arbor farms inc, ann arbor
- cvs 1758, ypsilanti
- cvs 28, milan
- cvs 3584, ann arbor
- cvs 7137, ann arbor
- cvs 8003, saline
- cvs 8006, ann arbor
- cvs 8023, ypsilanti
- cvs 8088, ann arbor
- cvs 8089, chelsea
- cvs 8097, ann arbor
- cvs 8165, ypsilanti
- cvs 8216, ann arbor
- dollar general 13875, manchester
- dollar general 9633, ann arbor
- dollar tree 1587, saline
- dollar tree 3044, ann arbor
- dollartree 8657, dexter
- dollartree 9987, ann arbor
- dollar general 18635, saline
- dollar general 23331, milan
- dollar general store 10780, ypsilanti
- dollar tree 217, ypsilanti
- dollar tree 2708, ypsilanti
- dollar tree 6002, chelsea
- dollar tree 7878, ann arbor
- dollar tree 8509, ypsilanti
- family dollar 10970, ypsilanti
- family dollar 12670, whitmore lake
- family dollar 2222, ypsilanti
- new huaxing asia market, ypsilanti
- om market na, ann arbor
- peoples food cooperative, ann arbor
- produce station, ann arbor
- walgreens 5398, ypsilanti
- walgreens 05842, ann arbor
- walgreens 11197, ann arbor
- walgreens 15650, ann arbor
Super Store · 22
- costco wholesale 1106, ann arbor
- fresh thyme market 608yps, ypsilanti
- kroger 576, milan
- kroger 707, ypsilanti
- kroger store 520, ypsilanti
- kroger store 605, ann arbor
- kroger store 688, ann arbor
- kroger store 689, ypsilanti
- kroger 365, ann arbor
- meijer inc 027, ypsilanti
- meijer inc 064, ann arbor
- meijer inc 173, ann arbor
- plum market, ann arbor
- plum market, ann arbor
- polly's country store 12, chelsea
- sam's club 6667, ypsilanti
- target store 1285, ypsilanti
- target store 634, ann arbor
- target store t3415, ann arbor
- walmart supercenter 5472, saline
- whole foods market 10167, ann arbor
- whole foods market 10315, ann arbor
Medium Grocery Store · 17
- aiam, ann arbor
- alez market, ypsilanti
- ann arbor mediterranean market 1, ann arbor
- argus farm stop, ann arbor
- ariob llc, ypsilanti
- bombay grocers, ann arbor
- borimex llc, ypsilanti
- by the pound, ann arbor
- dos hermanos market, ypsilanti
- fatou african carribbean market, ypsilanti
- galleria asian market, ann arbor
- la casa latina llc, ypsilanti
- milan market, milan
- mira international market 1, ann arbor
- super perky pantry 12, manchester
- ypsilanti food cooperative, ypsilanti
- zzs produce, ann arbor
Supermarket · 13
- aldi 48, ypsilanti
- aldi 67062, ypsilanti
- aldi 52, ann arbor
- better health market ann arbor, ann arbor
- busch's fresh food market 1035, ann arbor
- busch's fresh food market 1043, saline
- busch's fresh food market 1048, ann arbor
- busch's fresh food market 1467, dexter
- gordon food service store mp027, ypsilanti
- save a lot - ypsilanti 24346, ypsilanti
- shoppers market, ypsilanti
- trader joe's 678, ann arbor
- way 1 supermarket, ann arbor
Farmers' Market · 12
- ann arbor farmers market, ann arbor
- argus farm stop l3c, ann arbor
- chelsea farmers market, chelsea
- city of dexter farmers market, dexter
- depot town farmers market/growing hope inc, ypsilanti
- dixboro village green inc dba dixboro farm market, ann arbor
- downtown ypsilanti farmers mkt-growning hope, ypsilanti
- manchester farmers market, manchester
- pittsfield charter township farmers market, ann arbor
- saline farmers market, saline
- west willow farmers market, ypsilanti
- whitmore lake farmers market, whitmore lake
Small Grocery Store · 5
- african & caribbean food market, ann arbor
- agricole farm stop, chelsea
- hamel's euro market, ann arbor
- kasoa africa market, ann arbor
- la expiga dorada market, ypsilanti
Large Grocery Store · 2
- mk market inc, whitmore lake
- patel brothers of ann arbor llc, ann arbor
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Michigan
Compare Washtenaw County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Washtenaw County sits inside Michigan (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 Washtenaw County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Washtenaw County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Washtenaw County? ▼
Is Washtenaw County a food desert? ▼
What share of Washtenaw 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.