Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Wayne County, IL
Wayne County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 25.1% low-access.
- 25.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.0%
- on SNAP
- 16K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Wayne County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 25.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.0% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Marion County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Wayne County ranks #1,286 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #43 of 102 counties in IL (25.1% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,286
- national by low-access %
- #43
- in IL
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Wayne County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Wayne County's 25.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,286 most-affected nationwide.
Wayne County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Wayne County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (3 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Wayne County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Jefferson 26.3
Jefferson 26.3%
26.3 % low-access
- Logan 26
Logan 26%
26 % low-access
- Sangamon 25.6
Sangamon 25.6%
25.6 % low-access
- Marion 25.2
Marion 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Wayne 25.1
Wayne 25.1%
25.1 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 16,760 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,215 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,408 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 15,973 |
| Median Household Income | $55,521 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 961 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.8% |
SNAP retailers in Wayne County
Wayne County has 17 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 6 locations (35% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 17 authorized stores; Fairfield holds 76% of them. 1 of the 3 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Cisne.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | 13 | 2 |
| Wayne City | 3 | 1 |
| Cisne | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- bullard's farm market & bakery, fairfield
- cvs 6885, fairfield
- dollar general 1092, fairfield
- dollar general 21070, cisne
- dollar general 9555, wayne city
- dollar tree 8456, fairfield
Convenience Store · 6
- casey's general store 1947, fairfield
- huck's 241, fairfield
- mach 1 18, fairfield
- maharaj swami 308 corporation, fairfield
- murphy usa 7177, fairfield
- wayne city 66, wayne city
Farmers' Market · 1
- fairfield farmers market ffab, fairfield
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- john's butcher block, fairfield
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- greenfield country store incorporated, wayne city
Super Store · 1
- walmart 454, fairfield
Supermarket · 1
- fairfield save a lot 45164, fairfield
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Wayne County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Wayne County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Wayne County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (25.1% here).
- Baldwin County, AL · 25.1% low-access
- Midland County, TX · 25.1% low-access
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Honolulu County, HI · 25.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (14.0% here).
- Caldwell County, KY · 14.0% SNAP
- Howell County, MO · 14.0% SNAP
- North Slope Borough, AK · 14.0% SNAP
- Monroe County, AL · 14.0% 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.
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Wayne County, at 25.1%, runs 4.9 pts above the Illinois rate.
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 Wayne County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17191. 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.