Signature · 8.5% SNAP (12th pct in AR)
Baxter County, AR
Baxter County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 16.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 8.5%
- on SNAP
- 42K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Baxter County, AR
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 16.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 8.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Carroll County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Baxter County ranks #1,996 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #57 of 75 counties in AR (16.4% low-access).
- #1,996
- national by low-access %
- #57
- in AR
- 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: 8.5% SNAP (12th pct in AR) (-3.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Baxter County compares nationally
Baxter County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.4% low-access share that beats 36% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,996).
Baxter County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Baxter County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (6 rural, 3 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 3 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Baxter County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Baxter 16.4
Baxter 16.4%
16.4 % low-access
- Carroll 16.4
Carroll 16.4%
16.4 % low-access
- Lonoke 16.4
Lonoke 16.4%
16.4 % low-access
- Yell 16.4
Yell 16.4%
16.4 % low-access
- Logan 16.2
Logan 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 41,513 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,821 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.4%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,333 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 42,407 |
| Median Household Income | $48,452 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,647 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Baxter County
Baxter County has 38 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 15 locations (39% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
9 towns share the 38 authorized stores; Mountain Home holds 68% of them. 7 of the 9 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Gamaliel, Big Flat, Henderson, Lakeview, Midway, Norfork and 1 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Home | 26 | 5 |
| Gassville | 4 | 1 |
| Gamaliel | 2 | none |
| Big Flat | 1 | none |
| Henderson | 1 | none |
| Lakeview | 1 | none |
| Midway | 1 | none |
| Norfork | 1 | none |
| Salesville | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 15
- dollar general 1065, mountain home
- dollar general 10853, mountain home
- dollar general 13974, midway
- dollar general 12843, salesville
- dollar general 13772, mountain home
- dollar general 16707, mountain home
- dollar general 21210, henderson
- dollar general 22097, mountain home
- dollar general 22161, mountain home
- dollar general 23578, lakeview
- dollar general 30721, mountain home
- dollar general 7265, gassville
- dollar general store 17318, mountain home
- twin lakes packing and processing, gassville
- walgreens 09743, mountain home
Convenience Store · 13
- 101 grocery & bait, gamaliel
- big flat general store, big flat
- casey's general store 3235, mountain home
- casey's general store 3738, gassville
- caseys general store 3530, mountain home
- e-z mart 4231, mountain home
- e-z mart 4243, mountain home
- jordans kwik stop 83, mountain home
- murphy usa 7744, mountain home
- phillips express, mountain home
- r & r country store and campground, llc, gamaliel
- white oak moark 19, mountain home
- y grocery & gas, mountain home
Super Store · 3
- harps food store 135, mountain home
- harps food store 156, mountain home
- walmart 11, mountain home
Small Grocery Store · 2
- kylas asian market, mountain home
- two rivers market, norfork
Farmers' Market · 1
- mountain home farmers market nafmnp, mountain home
Large Grocery Store · 1
- sun fest market 2752, gassville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- the meat shop, mountain home
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- the truck patch, mountain home
Supermarket · 1
- town and country 2453, mountain home
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 Baxter County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Baxter County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Baxter County (8.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Arkansas.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AR (16.4% here).
- Broome County, NY · 16.4% low-access
- St. Lawrence County, NY · 16.4% low-access
- Alleghany County, VA · 16.4% low-access
- Jefferson County, FL · 16.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (8.5% here).
- Contra Costa County, CA · 8.5% SNAP
- Inyo County, CA · 8.5% SNAP
- Orange County, CA · 8.5% SNAP
- Ventura County, CA · 8.5% 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.
Arkansas among West South Central states
Arkansas ranks 4th of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Baxter County, at 16.4%, runs 8.5 pts below the Arkansas 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 Baxter County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05005. 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.