County food-access profile · Illinois
White County, IL
White 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.
- 8.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 18.7%
- on SNAP
- 14K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.5% of White County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 341
- food-desert residents
- 9.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.4%
- 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).
White County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.5% per the USDA Atlas. 0 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 1,251 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 White County compares nationally
White County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.5% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,602).
White County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in White County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
White County vs. other Illinois counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Illinois
- White 8.5
White County, IL
8.5 % low-access
- Adams 16.5
Adams County, IL
16.5 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, IL
49.6 % low-access
- Bond
Bond County, IL
20.8 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, IL
31.5 % low-access
- Brown
Brown County, IL
34.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 14,665 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,251 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 341 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 13,619 |
| Median Household Income | $54,813 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.4%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,061 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.7%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.5% |
About 18.7% of White County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 18.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,061 households here.
- 9.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $54,813 with a 16.4% poverty rate.
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 White County
near the national share
An estimated 1,251 residents, roughly 8.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 341 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 5 tracts (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
None of White County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.
SNAP retailers in White County
White County has 19 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 8 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 8
- casey's general store 1970, carmi
- doug's food mart, norris city
- huck's 101, grayville
- huck's 142, carmi
- kellys quick stop, norris city
- maier's, crossville
- murphy usa 6828, carmi
- pundrakes, carmi
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- cvs 6886, carmi
- dollar general 4239, norris city
- dollar general 4248, grayville
- dollar general 4251, carmi
- higginson farms mercantile llc, carmi
Farmers' Market · 2
- carmi farmers market ffab, carmi
- grayville farmers market nafmnp, grayville
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- 5th st market, carmi
- wonder market inc, norris city
Large Grocery Store · 1
- little giant foods inc, carmi
Super Store · 1
- walmart 833, carmi
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Illinois
Compare White County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Food access nationally, Illinois in context
White County sits inside Illinois (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 White County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in White County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in White County? ▼
Is White County a food desert? ▼
What share of White 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.