The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, together with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, have been working since 2010 on the Creating Healthy Communities (CHC) grant funded by the CDC and administered by the Ohio Department of Health.

The CHC initiative uses population and evidence-based strategies to create systems, environmental, and policy changes, aimed at reducing the leading causes of death associated with unhealthy behaviors including poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and tobacco use within a health equity framework in Cuyahoga County and in the targeted communities of Euclid, East Cleveland, and Lakewood.

Cuyahoga County Supermarket Assessment

Cuyahoga County Supermarket Assessment 2018 Inventory Update coverFrom 2016 through 2018, the partners focused their efforts on increasing access to healthy food—especially as provided by full-service grocery stores in low income areas. The latest report, the Supermarket Assessment 2018 Inventory Update, builds on the most recent work completed by County Planning and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. As an update, the report notes refinements to the assessment methodology, the most recent openings and closures of supermarkets within Cuyahoga County, new data, and updated key findings.

Key Findings

  • Population
    • More than 442,900 people in Cuyahoga County (35% of the total resident population) live in Food Deserts; and
    • Over 230,700 Cleveland residents (59% of the total City population) are living in Food Deserts.
  • Distance from Supermarkets
    • Over 262,500 (59.3%) of the county’s residents live between ½ and 1 mile of their nearest supermarket.
    • Over 165,000 residents (37.4%) live more than 1 mile from a supermarket; and
    • Nearly 14,500 residents (3.3%) live more than 2 miles away.

Supermarket Access Interactive Map

As part of the 2018 update, County Planning prepared an interactive map of supermarket locations and their accessibility.
map of supermarket locations and accessibility in Cuyahoga Countyopen interactive map
download printable map

Earlier Reports

In 2017, County Planning prepared a Cuyahoga County Community Food Assessment as part of the Creating Healthy Communities Initiative.

Cuyahoga County Community Food Assessment2016-2017 Cuyahoga County Community Food Assessment Report cover

Additional materials are available on the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s site.

History

Birdseye view of GreenSprout garden first yearOver the past program years, the CHC team (comprised of County Planning and CCBH staff) has worked to improve opportunities relating to active living and healthy eating:

  • Assisted in the establishment of community gardens in targeted communities and in drafting municipal ordinances that are conducive to urban agriculture.
  • Developed the County’s first food desert analysis.
  • Implemented a Healthy Corner Store Initiative that will increase the quality, quantity, and visibility of fresh produce and other healthy items while limiting the visibility of unhealthy items through store redesign and product placement.
  • Active lifestyle and physical activity: Aided in the development of the Safe Routes To School program and community trail networks.