PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Illinois

Williamson County, IL

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

32.3%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
16.6%
on SNAP
67K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

The food-access picture

32.3% of Williamson County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

10
low-access tracts
8K
food-desert residents
6.0%
households, no vehicle
13.8%
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).

USDA data puts Williamson County's low-access share at 32.3%, above the national share. 10 of the county's 15 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 21,430 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,171 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 Williamson County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Williamson County's 32.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 75% of them and ranked #795 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Williamson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 15 census tracts in Williamson 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 Williamson County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 15 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (33.3%) 5 tracts limited (33.3%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 33% Limited 33% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Williamson County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Williamson 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 Williamson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts15
Atlas Population (2010 basis)66,357
Low-Access Tracts10
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population21,430
Low-Access Share32.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,171

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Williamson County
IndicatorValue
Population66,876
Median Household Income$65,604
Poverty Rate13.8%near the national average
SNAP Households4,817
SNAP Participation Rate16.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.2%
SNAP participation in Williamson County 16.6%

About 16.6% of Williamson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 32.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,817 households here.
  • 6.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 5 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 Williamson County

above the national share

5 of Williamson County's 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 10.

An estimated 21,430 residents, roughly 32.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,171 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Williamson County

Williamson County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 33

  • carterville motomart 3126, carterville
  • casey's 3391, marion
  • casey's general store 1625, herrin
  • casey's general store 1857, johnston city
  • casey's general store 2178, marion
  • casey's general store 2216, de soto
  • casey's general store 2283, energy
  • casey's general store 3637, marion
  • casey's general store 3669, cambria
  • circle k 1332, marion
  • circle k 4701340, herrin
  • creal springs mini mart, creal springs
  • farm fresh, herrin
  • farm fresh of carterville, carterville
  • grassy general store, carbondale
  • huck's #379, marion
  • huck's 161, marion
  • huck's 239, herrin
  • huck's 247, marion
  • huck's 366, herrin
  • huck's 367, carterville
  • huck's 388, marion
  • i 57 motomart 3132 3132, marion
  • johnston city zx 236, johnston city
  • love's travel stop 803, marion
  • mach 1 13, marion
  • mach 1 22, herrin
  • mach 1 23, marion
  • marion gas station n/a, marion
  • meladi fuel mart inc., marion
  • pilot travel center 595, marion
  • pittsburg convenience center, pittsburg
  • road ranger 279, marion

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs 6388, marion
  • dollar general 0408, marion
  • dollar general 0863, marion
  • dollar general 1098, herrin
  • dollar general 13975, carterville
  • dollar general 14361, herrin
  • dollar general 4217, johnston city
  • dollartree 8196, carterville
  • dollar general 13665, marion
  • dollar general 14851, pittsburg
  • dollar general 15635, creal springs
  • dollar general 2982, carterville
  • dollar general 30523, marion
  • dollar general 31027, herrin
  • dollar tree 3564, marion
  • dollar tree 6695, marion
  • dollar tree 8386, herrin
  • walgreens 7578, marion
  • walgreens 12089, herrin

Super Store · 6

  • kroger l746 746, herrin
  • kroger ms-380 380, marion
  • sam's club 8180, marion
  • target store 674, marion
  • walmart 596, herrin
  • walmart supercenter 216, marion

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • johnston city food shop, johnston city
  • smalls meat market, llc, marion

Farmers' Market · 1

  • marion farmer's market, marion

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 41001 41001, marion

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 Williamson County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Williamson 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 Williamson County has low food access? ▼
32.3% of residents in Williamson 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 Williamson County? ▼
16.6% of households in Williamson County receive SNAP, covering 4,817 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Williamson County? ▼
The poverty rate in Williamson County, IL is 13.8%, with a median household income of $65,604 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Williamson County a food desert? ▼
5 of Williamson County's 15 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 Williamson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.0% of households in Williamson 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.