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Signature · 4.8% SNAP (7th pct in IA)

Benton County, IA

Benton 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.

17.0%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
4.8%
on SNAP
26K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IA

USDA FARA access plate

County Benton County, IA

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-MODERATE 17.0% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -5.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 4.8% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 3.3% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Muscatine County (+ 0.0 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Benton County ranks #1,939 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #47 of 98 counties in IA (17.0% low-access).

#1,939
national by low-access %
#47
in IA
3
low-access tracts
1K
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: 4.8% SNAP (7th pct in IA) (-7.3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How Benton County compares nationally

Benton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.0% low-access share that beats 38% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,948).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Benton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Benton County, IA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (57.1%) 3 tracts limited (42.9%) Adequate 57% Limited 43% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Benton County, IA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Benton County has 1 urban and 6 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.

Benton County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Benton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)26,076
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population4,427
Low-Access Share17.0%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,116

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Benton County
IndicatorValue
Population25,724
Median Household Income$86,962
Poverty Rate7.4%well below the national average
SNAP Households491
SNAP Participation Rate4.8%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%

SNAP retailers in Benton County

Benton County has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 11

  • casey's 4317, vinton
  • casey's general store 3513, belle plaine
  • casey's 4647, atkins
  • casey's general store 3294, urbana
  • casey's general store 3717, vinton
  • kwik star 1076, vinton
  • shellsburgs quickstop, shellsburg
  • the depot atkins llc, atkins
  • the depot norway llc, norway
  • the depot van horne llc, van horne
  • zip mart, belle plaine

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 22854, newhall
  • dollar general 23186, atkins
  • dollar general 25492, keystone
  • dollar general 3819, vinton
  • dollar general 6648, belle plaine
  • dollar general store 17431, urbana
  • family dollar 13149, vinton
  • family dollar 13643, belle plaine

Super Store · 2

  • dollar fresh 1825, vinton
  • fareway stores, inc. 462, vinton

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • country foods, belle plaine

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • shellsburg grocery, shellsburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Iowa

One of 98 counties in Iowa, 6 are shown here.

Adair County
8.0% low-access · 9.8% SNAP
Adams County
6.4% low-access · 9.5% SNAP
Allamakee County
10.9% low-access · 8.3% SNAP
Appanoose County
15.7% low-access · 13.3% SNAP
Audubon County
7.4% low-access · 8.4% SNAP
Black Hawk County
27.5% low-access · 11.1% SNAP

Compare Benton County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →

Nationwide peers for Benton County's low-access or SNAP share

SNAP-led peer set first for Benton County (4.8%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Iowa.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IA (17.0% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (4.8% here).

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, Iowa in context

Benton County sits inside Iowa (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

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 Benton County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19011. 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.