Signature · 34.5% low-access (80th pct)
Worcester County, MA
Worcester County sits in the upper national band on low-access (34.5%, +12.4 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 34.5%
- low-access pop.
- 18
- food-desert tracts
- 15.9%
- on SNAP
- 868K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Worcester County, MA
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 34.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +12.4 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 18 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.9% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 10% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Norfolk County (+ 1.2 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Worcester County sits in the upper national band (34.5%, #628 of 3,079) with 18 LILA tracts.
- #628
- national by low-access %
- #5
- in MA
- 82
- low-access tracts
- 41K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 34.5% low-access (80th pct) (+12.4 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Worcester County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Worcester County's 34.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 80% of them and ranked #628 most-affected nationwide.
Worcester County's elevated USDA tier split
172 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 18 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Worcester County has 141 urban and 31 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Worcester County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Massachusetts, not a full county-board reprint
- Barnstable
Barnstable 51%
51 % low-access
- Norfolk
Norfolk 35.7%
35.7 % low-access
- Worcester
Worcester 34.5%
34.5 % low-access
- Dukes
Dukes 32.2%
32.2 % low-access
- Berkshire
Berkshire 30.9%
30.9 % low-access
- Essex
Essex 30.1%
30.1 % low-access
- Suffolk 1
Suffolk 1%
1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 172 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 798,552 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 82 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 18 |
| Low-Access Population | 275,296 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.5%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 40,893 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 867,788 |
| Median Household Income | $95,939 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 53,441 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.9%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.3%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Worcester County
Worcester County has 640 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 131 locations (20% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 131
- 1099 grafton llc, worcester
- 590 southbridge gas and market llc, worcester
- 7 eleven 35487h, milford
- 7-11 mart, worcester
- 7-eleven #33200b, worcester
- 7-eleven 34385a, webster
- 7-eleven 33686a, worcester
- 7-eleven 34425b 34425, shrewsbury
- 7-eleven 34426a, worcester
- 7-eleven 34429a, worcester
- 7-eleven 25009, worcester
- 7-eleven 34427c 34427, worcester
- 7-eleven 34430b, westborough
- 7-eleven 37447b, worcester
- 7-eleven 37499b, leominster
- 76 food mart, leominster
- 94 spencer express llc, spencer
- a&t inc dba top dollar plus 1, worcester
- a-1 mart, gardner
- a.l prime energy 130, worcester
- a1 go mart, winchendon
- a1 plus convenience, holden
- a1 plus convenience, worcester
- abs gas & go, fitchburg
- abc mini market, worcester
- al prime - fitchburg # 129 129, fitchburg
- al prime energy 139, fitchburg
- alltown ashburnham 323, ashburnham
- alltown fitchburg 2770, fitchburg
- alltown gardner 327, gardner
- alltown leominster 306, leominster
- alltown market oxford crossing 664, oxford
- alltown market warren 10024, warren
- alltown north oxford 10096, north oxford
- alltown westborough 2720, westborough
- amz convenience inc, worcester
- andy's variety inc., westborough
- aplus, oxford
- apple country market, clinton
- applegreen barre 2028, barre
- ash pharmacy, worcester
- athol mini mart corp/corner store, athol
- barre general store, barre
- belmont convenience, worcester
- beltres groceries, fitchburg
- big w variety, worcester
- blackstone market no, blackstone
- boskis market, worcester
- boylston gas and market, llc 219, boylston
- bp gas station, fitchburg
- bp n/p, worcester
- brazilian flavors bakery, clinton
- burke's market, gardner
- castleway market, fitchburg
- country farm, southbridge
- cumberland farms 6660, gilbertville
- cumberland farms 6682, northbridge
- cumberland farms 6686, fiskdale
- cumberland farms 6687, baldwinville
- cumberland farms 6688, athol
- cumberland farms 6706, athol
- cumberland farms 6719, e brookfield
- cumberland farms 6762, fitchburg
- canaan fuels, milford
- cedar street market, milford
- charlies mini mart, milford
- charlton gas & market 103, charlton
- cheng's mini-mart, inc 8400, worcester
- citgo mart, fitchburg
- corner store, worcester
- cote's variety, fitchburg
- country convenience, athol
- country corner citgo inc, west brookfield
- country farms, charlton
- country farms, leominster
- country mart, athol
- cow farm mini market, worcester
- crossroads market place, leicester
- crystal gas, whitinsville
- cumberland farm 178, fitchburg
- cumberland farms 0119, worcester
- cumberland farms 0177, lancaster
- cumberland farms 0192, leominster
- cumberland farms 0217, worcester
- cumberland farms 0221, clinton
- cumberland farms 6, westminster
- cumberland farms 6672, winchendon
- cumberland farms 6695, brookfield
- cumberland farms 6705, east templeton
- cumberland farms 6720, leicester
- cumberland farms 6737, northborough
- cumberland farms 6746, north grafton
- cumberland farms 6751, southbridge
- cumberland farms 6753, lancaster
- cumberland farms 6754, gardner
- cumberland farms 6758, west boylston
- cumberland farms 6769, westborough
- cumberland farms, inc 0036, oxford
- cumberland farms, inc 0133, grafton
- cumberland farms, inc 0163, leicester
- cumberland farms, inc 0164, south grafton
- cumberland farms, inc 0166, auburn
- cumberland farms, inc 0190, blackstone
- cumberland farms, inc 0191, dudley
- cumberland farms, inc 0197, hopedale
- cumberland farms, inc 0203, north oxford
- cumberland farms, inc 3471, oxford
- cumberland farms, inc 6725, southborough
- cumberland farms, inc 6765, uxbridge
- cumberland farms, inc. 6761, leominster
- daily convenience 0, auburn
- daou's convenience, southbridge
- downtown quik mart, leominster
- drew food mart, worcester
- eb mobil mart, east brookfield
- edgemere mini mart, worcester
- ez mart convenience store, douglas
- east main street gas & market llc 517, webster
- edgemere mini mart, shrewsbury
- edgemere mini mart, worcester
- edgemere mini mart, worcester
- el coqui market 2 parker, gardner
- el primo meat market corp, leominster
- energy north 2121, berlin
- energy north 2123, webster
- energy north 2133, athol
- express fuel . food 102, fitchburg
- express fuel food 101, fitchburg
- family farms 10, worcester
- family farms 11, rutland
- family farms 12, leominster
Combination Grocery/Other · 117
- asamass trading 5087965117, worcester
- cvs 302, whitinsville
- cvs 498, webster
- cvs 582, spencer
- cvs pharamcy 1068, athol
- cvs pharmacy 0299, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 1035, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 1198, leominster
- cvs pharmacy 1221, milford
- cvs pharmacy 1225, blackstone
- cvs pharmacy 153, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 166, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 1882, fitchburg
- cvs pharmacy 2098, gardner
- cvs pharmacy 2161, oxford
- cvs pharmacy 2171, millbury
- cvs pharmacy 2172, north grafton
- cvs pharmacy 2254, milford
- cvs pharmacy 657, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 705, west boylston
- cvs pharmacy 707, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 708, auburn
- cvs pharmacy 765, southbridge
- cvs pharmacy 8, shrewsbury
- cvs pharmacy 1050, holden
- cvs pharmacy 1273, worcester
- cvs pharmacy 1844, lunenburg
- cvs pharmacy 38, charlton
- cvs pharmacy 444, westborough
- cvs pharmacy 505, fitchburg
- cvs pharmacy 507, leominster
- cvs pharmacy 8441, winchendon
- cvs pharmacy 920, clinton
- cvs pharmacy 946, uxbridge
- cvs pharmacy cvs10596, shrewsbury
- cvs pharmacy cvs10649, sturbridge
- cvs pharmacy, inc. 810, leominster
- colony farms, auburn
- dollar general 18273, north brookfield
- dollar tree 1179, gardner
- dollar tree 1582, milford
- dollar tree 2522, worcester
- dollar tree 3062, worcester
- dollartree 10187, westborough
- dollartree 10300, winchendon
- dollartree 10737, sturbridge
- dollar general 14714, dudley
- dollar general 14721, brookfield
- dollar general 15103, westminster
- dollar general 19130, worcester
- dollar general 23043, northbridge
- dollar tree 1330, webster
- dollar tree 1390, worcester
- dollar tree 3919, holden
- dollar tree 4031, worcester
- dollar tree 4474, leominster
- dollar tree 4657, fitchburg
- dollar tree 4997, westborough
- dollar tree 5016, worcester
- dollar tree 5446, milford
- dollar tree 5578, west boylston
- dollar tree 5634, whitinsville
- dollar tree 5766, oxford
- dollar tree 6073, leominster
- dollar tree 6859, worcester
- dollar tree 7266, worcester
- dollar tree 7397, dudley
- dollar tree 7407, athol
- dollar tree 7618, southbridge
- dollar tree 8518, leominster
- family dollar 10688, worcester
- family dollar 13417, worcester
- family dollar 13784, dudley
- family dollar 2226, clinton
- family dollar 2232, gardner
- family dollar 2624, fitchburg
- family dollar 2728, southbridge
- family dollar 4709, worcester
- family dollar 4863, fitchburg
- family dollar 6589, worcester
- family dollar 7881, leominster
- family dollar 9191, worcester
- family dollar store 10345, worcester
- family dollar store 10710, worcester
- global supermarket, worcester
- kwahu market, worcester
- lofa business center, worcester
- makola market, worcester
- mobil uxbridge 9, uxbridge
- ocean state job lot 215, gardner
- ocean state job lot 223, westborough
- ocean state job lot 238, athol
- ocean state job lot 243, leominster
- ocean state job lot 244, sturbridge
- ocean state job lot 264, webster
- ocean state job lot 265, auburn
- ocean state job lot 240, whitinsville
- paxton market, paxton
- peruchos variety 1, worcester
- s & s farms & deli inc, west boylston
- t&p convenience & asian food market, lunenburg
- the farm stand, winchendon
- walgreens 09152, worcester
- walgreens 03151, worcester
- walgreens 09233, shrewsbury
- walgreens 10318, southborough
- walgreens 10427, leominster
- walgreens 11119, clinton
- walgreens 11120, holden
- walgreens 12558, fitchburg
- walgreens 17177, gardner
- walgreens 18335, millbury
- walgreens 18421, southbridge
- walgreens 18968, holden
- walgreens 19240, dudley
- walgreens 19452, worcester
- walgreens 21267, milford
Bakery Specialty · 2
- european bakery & pastry, worcester
- georges bakery, worcester
Showing 250 of 640 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Massachusetts
One of 13 counties in Massachusetts, 6 are shown here.
Compare Worcester County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Counties near Worcester County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Worcester County, both outside Massachusetts so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MA (34.5% here).
- Becker County, MN · 34.5% low-access
- Becker County, MN · 34.5% low-access
- Galveston County, TX · 34.5% low-access
- Galveston County, TX · 34.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MA (15.9% here).
- Oceana County, MI · 15.9% SNAP
- Oceana County, MI · 15.9% SNAP
- East Baton Rouge Parish, LA · 15.9% SNAP
- East Baton Rouge Parish, LA · 15.9% 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.
Worcester County inside a higher low-access state context
Worcester County sits inside Massachusetts (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Worcester County, MA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 25027. 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.