Signature · 14.3% SNAP (90th pct in WI)
Ashland County, WI
Ashland County stands out on SNAP (14.3%, +2.2 pts vs U.S.) with 28.5% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 28.5%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.3%
- on SNAP
- 16K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Ashland County, WI
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 28.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 29% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Kenosha County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Ashland County ranks #1,035 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #18 of 71 counties in WI (28.5% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,035
- national by low-access %
- #18
- in WI
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 14.3% SNAP (90th pct in WI) (+2.2 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Ashland County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ashland County's 28.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 66% of them and ranked #1,035 most-affected nationwide.
Ashland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Ashland County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (5 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Ashland County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Langlade
Langlade 31.1%
31.1 % low-access
- Bayfield
Bayfield 30.2%
30.2 % low-access
- Douglas
Douglas 30.1%
30.1 % low-access
- Kenosha
Kenosha 28.6%
28.6 % low-access
- Ashland
Ashland 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 16,157 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,599 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.5%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,823 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,080 |
| Median Household Income | $62,462 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.4%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 975 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.8% |
SNAP retailers in Ashland County
Ashland County has 20 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 9 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 20 authorized stores; Ashland holds 70% of them. 4 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Butternut, Glidden, La Pointe, Odanah.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 14 | 4 |
| Mellen | 2 | 1 |
| Butternut | 1 | none |
| Glidden | 1 | none |
| La Pointe | 1 | none |
| Odanah | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 9
- bear crossing 1, glidden
- darlings grocery, la pointe
- holiday stationstore 2746459, ashland
- krist food mart 065, ashland
- kwik trip 110, ashland
- kwik trip 118, ashland
- kwik trip 163, ashland
- moccasin trail center, odanah
- shell ashland gas station, ashland
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 23595, butternut
- dollar general store 12677, mellen
- dollar tree 5141, ashland
- walgreens 10758, ashland
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- northland foods, llc, mellen
- super h foods, ashland
Supermarket · 2
- chequamegon food cooperative, ashland
- super one foods 573, ashland
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- tastes of wisconsin llc, ashland
Small Grocery Store · 1
- white river country market, ashland
Super Store · 1
- walmart 1672, ashland
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare Ashland County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for Ashland County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Ashland County (14.3%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Wisconsin.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WI (28.5% here).
- Jefferson County, WV · 28.5% low-access
- Whitman County, WA · 28.5% low-access
- Callahan County, TX · 28.5% low-access
- Brazos County, TX · 28.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (14.3% here).
- Douglas County, WA · 14.3% SNAP
- San Patricio County, TX · 14.3% SNAP
- Carter County, TN · 14.3% SNAP
- Somerset County, PA · 14.3% 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.
Wisconsin among East North Central states
Wisconsin ranks 4th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.4%). Ashland County, at 28.5%, runs 7.1 pts above the Wisconsin rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Ashland County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55003. 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.