County food-access profile · Michigan
Wayne County, MI
Wayne County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 14.8%
- low-access pop.
- 54
- food-desert tracts
- 23.0%
- on SNAP
- 1.8M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
14.8% of Wayne County residents live in a low-access area, and 54 of its 606 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 129
- low-access tracts
- 83K
- food-desert residents
- 11.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 20.8%
- 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).
Wayne County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.8% per the USDA Atlas. 129 of the county's 606 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 269,976 residents who live far from a supermarket. 54 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 82,549 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
Wayne County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.8% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,135).
Wayne County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 606 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).
Wayne County vs. other Michigan counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan
- Wayne
Wayne County, MI
14.8 % 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 | 606 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,820,584 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 129 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 54 |
| Low-Access Population | 269,976 |
| Low-Access Share | 14.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 82,549 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,772,259 |
| Median Household Income | $60,539 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.8%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 161,357 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 23.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.6%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
About 23.0% of Wayne County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 14.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 23.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 161,357 households here.
- 11.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 54 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
near the national share
54 of Wayne County's 606 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.9% of all its tracts.
A further 75 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 129.
An estimated 269,976 residents, roughly 14.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 82,549 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 477 tracts (78.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Wayne County
Wayne County has 2,076 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 245 locations (12% of the total), followed by bakery specialty.
Combination Grocery/Other · 245
- 5 stars royal fish & chicken, detroit
- arbor drugs inc 8199, detroit
- abdu market, canton
- al hussein supermarket inc, detroit
- alghadeer bakery & market, detroit
- alreef poultry ii llc, detroit
- anand bazaar 1, northville
- bisher market inc., dearborn
- bosco fish & poultry, detroit
- cvs 103, northville
- cvs 8001, dearborn
- cvs 8009, northville
- cvs 8010, westland
- cvs 8015, livonia
- cvs 8027, dearborn
- cvs 8028, southgate
- cvs 8029, wyandotte
- cvs 8031, livonia
- cvs 8042, belleville
- cvs 8052, harper woods
- cvs 8056, dearborn hts
- cvs 8059, westland
- cvs 8064, trenton
- cvs 8072, flat rock
- cvs 8075, garden city
- cvs 8077, plymouth
- cvs 8081, grosse pointe
- cvs 8085, plymouth
- cvs 8094, detroit
- cvs 8107, grosse pointe woods
- cvs 8114, southgate
- cvs 8115, detroit
- cvs 8121, livonia
- cvs 8128, dearborn
- cvs 8131, lincoln park
- cvs 8141, detroit
- cvs 8157, redford
- cvs 8160, brownstown twp
- cvs 8163, northville
- cvs 8167, canton twp
- cvs 8172, redford
- cvs 8175, detroit
- cvs 8176, livonia
- cvs 8181, allen park
- cvs 8186, detroit
- cvs 8190, canton
- cvs 8200, detroit
- cvs 8208, plymouth
- cvs 8211, wayne
- cvs 8212, westland
- cvs 8221, dearborn hts
- cvs 8225, canton
- cvs 8231, detroit
- cvs 8269, detroit
- cvs 8275, detroit
- cvs 8283, detroit
- cvs 8307, detroit
- cvs 927, westland
- cvs pharmacy 11245, grosse ile
- cvs pharmacy 11249, romulus
- cvs pharmacy 211, brownstown
- cvs pharmacy 8008, westland
- cvs pharmacy 8137, hamtramck
- cvs pharmacy 8152, dearborn
- cvs pharmacy 8399, detroit
- cvs/pharmacy 8073, grosse pointe
- cantoro's market, plymouth
- captain jay fish & chicken 102, detroit
- cedar fruit & vegetables of canton, canton
- dollar daze, detroit
- dollar general 14276, detroit
- dollar general 14569, detroit
- dollar general 19897, redford
- dollar general 24084, dearborn heights
- dollar general 6060, redford
- dollar general 8139, livonia
- dollar general 8490, wyandotte
- dollar general 8667, flat rock
- dollar general 9142, livonia
- dollar general 9568, belleville
- dollar general 9736, westland
- dollar tree 0663, westland
- dollar tree 0688, southgate
- dollar tree 1833, dearborn
- dollar tree 2359, allen park
- dollar tree 2457, canton
- dollar tree 2908, dearborn
- dollar tree 4502, highland park
- dollar tree 4664, detroit
- dollartree 10735, southgate
- dollartree 10835, rockwood
- dollartree 4277, detroit
- dollartree 6271, detroit
- dollartree 6367, livonia
- dollartree 8036, dearborn heights
- dollartree 8883, detroit
- dollartree 8940, harper woods
- dollartree 9041, flat rock
- dollartree 9055, canton
- dollartree 9240, inkster
- dollartree 9344, taylor
- dollartree 9467, allen park
- dollartree 9573, westland
- dollartree 9963, wayne
- dollartree plus 9239, lincoln park
- dearborn fresh supermarket llc, dearborn
- dearborn sausage company, dearborn
- dollar general 11984, lincoln park
- dollar general 12047, detroit
- dollar general 12058, allen park
- dollar general 12060, dearborn heights
- dollar general 12197, dearborn
- dollar general 12198, dearborn
- dollar general 12250, detroit
- dollar general 13021, romulus
- dollar general 13385, detroit
- dollar general 13492, detroit
- dollar general 13505, detroit
- dollar general 13537, westland
- dollar general 13679, allen park
- dollar general 13843, detroit
- dollar general 13925, westland
- dollar general 15333, rockwood
- dollar general 15556, detroit
- dollar general 15743, detroit
- dollar general 16935, taylor
- dollar general 17016, new boston
- dollar general 19024, detroit
- dollar general 19151, detroit
- dollar general 19156, hamtramck
- dollar general 19158, highland park
- dollar general 19160, inkster
- dollar general 19165, westland
- dollar general 19927, romulus
- dollar general 21058, dearborn heights
- dollar general 21597, detroit
- dollar general 23509, detroit
- dollar general 23821, detroit
- dollar general 23848, romulus
- dollar general 25420, redford
- dollar general 25426, detroit
- dollar general 25557, wyandotte
- dollar general 31684, gibraltar
- dollar general 6019, livonia
- dollar general 8603, melvindale
- dollar save, detroit
- dollar tree 1526, taylor
- dollar tree 1570, belleville
- dollar tree 1895, livonia
- dollar tree 1956, redford
- dollar tree 3037, trenton
- dollar tree 3873, livonia
- dollar tree 4111, detroit
- dollar tree 4262, westland
- dollar tree 4319, detroit
- dollar tree 4329, taylor
- dollar tree 4614, livonia
- dollar tree 4877, westland
- dollar tree 4950, brownstown township
- dollar tree 5047, canton
- dollar tree 5271, taylor
- dollar tree 5442, westland
- dollar tree 5816, livonia
- dollar tree 5841, hamtramck
- dollar tree 6158, detroit
- dollar tree 6224, detroit
- dollar tree 6365, romulus
- dollar tree 6436, detroit
- dollar tree 677, redford
- dollar tree 6826, livonia
- dollar tree 692, livonia
- dollar tree 7229, detroit
- dollar tree 7264, detroit
- dollar tree 738, garden city
- dollar tree 742, lincoln park
- dollar tree 7455, dearborn
- dollar tree 757, dearborn
- dollar tree 7759, belleville
- dollar tree 8326, southgate
- dollar tree 8406, westland
- dollar tree 920, lincoln park
- dollar tree 9880, taylor
- e & l meat co, detroit
- express poultry & fish inc, dearborn
- family dollar 10099, flat rock
- family dollar 10223, detroit
- family dollar 10303, detroit
- family dollar 10339, detroit
- family dollar 10350, detroit
- family dollar 10381, detroit
- family dollar 10723, westland
- family dollar 11639, detroit
- family dollar 11756, detroit
- family dollar 11825, detroit
- family dollar 11866, detroit
- family dollar 11943, wayne
- family dollar 12003, taylor
- family dollar 12084, highland park
- family dollar 12144, detroit
- family dollar 12198, detroit
- family dollar 12243, detroit
- family dollar 12298, westland
- family dollar 12339, southgate
- family dollar 12366, detroit
- family dollar 12509, redford
- family dollar 1271, lincoln park
- family dollar 13686, livonia
- family dollar 13994, inkster
- family dollar 1592, taylor
- family dollar 1638, detroit
- family dollar 1656, ecorse
- family dollar 2140, inkster
- family dollar 2366, westland
- family dollar 4759, dearborn heights
- family dollar 4793, riverview
- family dollar 4851, taylor
- family dollar 4922, lincoln park
- family dollar 5198, garden city
- family dollar 5202, river rouge
- family dollar 5413, detroit
- family dollar 5439, detroit
- family dollar 5442, detroit
- family dollar 5547, detroit
- family dollar 5637, detroit
- family dollar 5703, southgate
- family dollar 6004, detroit
- family dollar 6084, detroit
- family dollar 6085, detroit
- family dollar 6199, detroit
- family dollar 6209, detroit
- family dollar 6235, detroit
- family dollar 6240, detroit
- family dollar 6303, trenton
- family dollar 6434, detroit
- family dollar 6502, detroit
- family dollar 6572, detroit
- family dollar 7011, detroit
- family dollar 7101, detroit
- family dollar 7102, detroit
- family dollar 7122, dearborn
- family dollar 7125, detroit
- family dollar 7139, lincoln park
- family dollar 7160, detroit
- family dollar 7266, detroit
- family dollar 7291, detroit
Bakery Specialty · 5
- al khabbaz bakery, dearborn
- bash mansour, dearborn
- bimbo bakeries 7505, livonia
- italia bakery, dearborn
- new palace bakery, hamtramck
Showing 250 of 2,076 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Michigan
Compare Wayne County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Wayne 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 Wayne County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Wayne County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Wayne County? ▼
Is Wayne County a food desert? ▼
What share of Wayne 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.