According to report, majority of Ohio’s counties are ‘food deserts’

A 2007 study conducted by OSU stated that Ohio was in a food desert crisis, with 24% of our counties not living close to retail or grocery stores.

And now, the 2025 State of Poverty report from the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies found that 70% of Ohio’s counties are “resource deserts,” with areas in over 60 counties not having close access to grocery stores nor pharmacies.

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This year’s report states that 67 counties have at least one food desert, where access to healthy, affordable food and even medicine from pharmacies is limited. The report said 67 counties also have at least one pharmacy desert. 

The report also emphasizes that 91% of food deserts are in census tracts where the poverty rate is above the state average, and 41% are in tracts where the poverty rate is more than double the state average.

If you’re interested in more data and information, please check out the study.

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