Signature · 20.5% SNAP (96th pct in ND)
Benson County, ND
Benson County stands out on SNAP (20.5%, +8.4 pts vs U.S.) with 42.7% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 42.7%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 20.5%
- on SNAP
- 6K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Benson County, ND
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-SEVERE 42.7% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +20.6 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 20.5% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: McKenzie County (+ 2.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Benson County sits in the upper national band (42.7%, #321 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.
- #321
- national by low-access %
- #23
- in ND
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 20.5% SNAP (96th pct in ND) (+8.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Benson County compares nationally
Benson County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 42.7% low-access share outpaces 90% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #321 most-affected nationwide.
Benson County's elevated USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
All 4 of Benson County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Benson County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in North Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Nelson
Nelson 100%
100 % low-access
- Bottineau
Bottineau 45.4%
45.4 % low-access
- McKenzie
McKenzie 44.8%
44.8 % low-access
- Wells
Wells 44.8%
44.8 % low-access
- Benson
Benson 42.7%
42.7 % low-access
- Sioux
Sioux 40.3%
40.3 % low-access
- Rolette 9.6
Rolette 9.6%
9.6 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 6,660 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,844 |
| Low-Access Share | 42.7%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,007 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,808 |
| Median Household Income | $64,033 |
| Poverty Rate | 25.6%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 416 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 20.5%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.4% |
SNAP retailers in Benson County
Benson County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by farmers' market.
Where the store book sits, by town
5 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Fort Totten holds 29% of them. 3 of the 5 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Fort Totten, Leeds, Tokio.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Totten | 2 | none |
| Saint Michael | 2 | 1 |
| Leeds | 1 | none |
| Maddock | 1 | 1 |
| Tokio | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 3
- cendak cooperative, leeds
- spirit lake marina, saint michael
- tokio general store, tokio
Farmers' Market · 1
- spirit lake mobile farmers market, fort totten
Large Grocery Store · 1
- spirit lake grocery, saint michael
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- tracys market, maddock
Small Grocery Store · 1
- paul's c-store and gas, fort totten
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Dakota
One of 52 counties in North Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Benson County vs Adams County → · All North Dakota counties →
North Dakota among West North Central states
North Dakota ranks 2nd of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (28.9%). Benson County, at 42.7%, runs 13.8 pts above the North Dakota rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Benson County, ND are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 38005. 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.