PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Illinois

Wayne County, IL

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Wayne 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).

25.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
14.0%
on SNAP
16K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

The food-access picture

25.1% of Wayne County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
7.2%
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).

USDA data puts Wayne County's low-access share at 25.1%, above the national share. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 4,215 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,408 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 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.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Wayne County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Wayne County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Wayne County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 0% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Wayne County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Wayne County vs. other Illinois counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Illinois

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Wayne County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)16,760
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,215
Low-Access Share25.1%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,408

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Wayne County
IndicatorValue
Population15,973
Median Household Income$55,521
Poverty Rate16.1%above the national average
SNAP Households961
SNAP Participation Rate14.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Wayne County 14.0%

About 14.0% of Wayne County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 25.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 961 households here.
  • 7.2% 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 Wayne County

above the national share

2 of Wayne County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 4,215 residents, roughly 25.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,408 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

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.

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 retailers.

Other Counties in Illinois

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Wayne County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Wayne County sits inside Illinois (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Wayne County has low food access? ▼
25.1% of residents in Wayne County, IL live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Wayne County? ▼
14.0% of households in Wayne County receive SNAP, covering 961 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Wayne County? ▼
The poverty rate in Wayne County, IL is 16.1%, with a median household income of $55,521 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Wayne County a food desert? ▼
2 of Wayne County's 5 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Wayne County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.2% of households in Wayne County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.