Signature · 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of tracts)
Ashley County, AR
Ashley County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of the book) alongside 21.8% low-access.
- 21.8%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 13.2%
- on SNAP
- 18K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Ashley County, AR
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 21.8% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.3 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 13.2% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 29% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Cleveland County (+ 0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Ashley County ranks #1,536 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #48 of 75 counties in AR (21.8% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,536
- national by low-access %
- #48
- in AR
- 4
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of tracts) .
How Ashley County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ashley County's 21.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,544 most-affected nationwide.
Ashley County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Ashley County has 2 urban and 5 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.
Ashley County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Crittenden 22.5
Crittenden 22.5%
22.5 % low-access
- Cleveland 22.1
Cleveland 22.1%
22.1 % low-access
- Conway 22.1
Conway 22.1%
22.1 % low-access
- Ashley 21.8
Ashley 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Craighead 21.3
Craighead 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 21,853 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,755 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,064 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 18,429 |
| Median Household Income | $44,266 |
| Poverty Rate | 22.1%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 969 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
SNAP retailers in Ashley County
Ashley County has 16 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 8 locations (50% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 0138, hamburg
- dollar general 19802, portland
- dollar general 8564, crossett
- dollar tree 2844, crossett
- dollar general 17940, hamburg
- dollar general 21713, crossett
- family dollar 13122, hamburg
- family dollar 2899, crossett
Convenience Store · 4
- brake time, crossett
- e-z mart 4289, crossett
- minit shop, crossett
- murphy usa 7117, crossett
Super Store · 2
- crossett cash saver, crossett
- walmart 167, crossett
Supermarket · 2
- brookshire food store 82, crossett
- jade super foods, hamburg
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Ashley County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Ashley County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Ashley County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AR (21.8% here).
- Champaign County, IL · 21.8% low-access
- Champaign County, IL · 21.8% low-access
- Baltimore County, MD · 21.8% low-access
- Baltimore County, MD · 21.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (13.2% here).
- Sutter County, CA · 13.2% SNAP
- Sutter County, CA · 13.2% SNAP
- Broward County, FL · 13.2% SNAP
- Broward County, FL · 13.2% 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.
Food access nationally, Arkansas in context
Ashley County sits inside Arkansas (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 Ashley County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05003. 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.