Signature · 11.1% SNAP (82nd pct in IA)
Black Hawk County, IA
Black Hawk County stands out on SNAP (11.1%, -1 pts vs U.S.) with 27.5% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 27.5%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 11.1%
- on SNAP
- 131K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Black Hawk County, IA
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 27.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +5.4 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 10 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 26% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lucas County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Black Hawk County ranks #1,112 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #19 of 98 counties in IA (27.5% low-access; 10 food-desert tracts).
- #1,112
- national by low-access %
- #19
- in IA
- 19
- low-access tracts
- 12K
- 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: 11.1% SNAP (82nd pct in IA) (-1 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Black Hawk County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Black Hawk County's 27.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,117 most-affected nationwide.
Black Hawk County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
38 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 10 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Black Hawk County has 31 urban and 7 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.
Black Hawk County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint
- Fremont
Fremont 76%
76 % low-access
- Lee 28.3
Lee 28.3%
28.3 % low-access
- Warren 28.2
Warren 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Marshall 28.1
Marshall 28.1%
28.1 % low-access
- Black Hawk 27.5
Black Hawk 27.5%
27.5 % low-access
- Lucas 27.5
Lucas 27.5%
27.5 % low-access
- Grundy 0
Grundy 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 38 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 131,090 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 19 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 36,084 |
| Low-Access Share | 27.5%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 12,410 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 131,049 |
| Median Household Income | $66,417 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.9%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 6,077 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Black Hawk County
Black Hawk County has 138 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 66 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 66
- arsallan, inc., waterloo
- bp fuel, waterloo
- casey's 4279, cedar falls
- casey's 4553, cedar falls
- casey's 2864, evansdale
- casey's 2865, cedar falls
- casey's 2866, waterloo
- casey's 2867, waterloo
- casey's 2880, waterloo
- casey's 2900, gilbertville
- casey's 3880, waterloo
- casey's general store 1887, cedar falls
- casey's general store 2427, waterloo
- casey's general store 2630, cedar falls
- casey's general store 3041, elk run heights
- casey's general store 3045, cedar falls
- casey's general store 3080, hudson
- casey's general store 3610, cedar falls
- caseys general store 066, la porte city
- caseys general store 2879, waterloo
- clark of waterloo, waterloo
- corks, waterloo
- endi bakery and grocery llc, waterloo
- evansdale market place, evansdale
- git-n-go 22, hudson
- hansen's dairy cedar falls, cedar falls
- hy-vee c-store 5869, waterloo
- hy-vee gas 5863, waterloo
- independence liquor & food, evansdale
- king star 1, cedar falls
- kwik star 1004, waterloo
- kwik star 229, waterloo
- kwik star 278, evansdale
- kwik star 380, waterloo
- kwik star 490, cedar falls
- kwik star 569, waterloo
- kwik star 702, dunkerton
- kwik star 715, waterloo
- kwik star 723, waterloo
- kwik star 724, waterloo
- kwik star 726, cedar falls
- kwik star 732, waterloo
- kwik star 934, cedar falls
- kwik stop 3, waterloo
- kwik stop 4, waterloo
- linn mart, waterloo
- lolo food market llc, waterloo
- love's travel shop 702, waterloo
- metro mart 1, waterloo
- metro mart 3, cedar falls
- metro mart 4, waterloo
- neighborhood mart, waterloo
- pilot travel center 637, evansdale
- prime mart, cedar falls
- prime mart 1, waterloo
- pronto bp, washburn
- ravion inc dba prime mart 7, waterloo
- rays supermarket inc, waterloo
- road ranger 144, elk run heights
- station mart 1, evansdale
- sycamore convenience, waterloo
- the spot #3, waterloo
- thunder ridge ampride, cedar falls
- waterloo #3 1863, waterloo
- xo food & liquor, waterloo
- yesway 10022, waterloo
Combination Grocery/Other · 31
- cvs pharmacy 8538, cedar falls
- cvs pharmcy 8544, waterloo
- dollar general 14412, cedar falls
- dollartree 10708, waterloo
- dollartree 6463, cedar falls
- dollar general 10073, waterloo
- dollar general 1458, evansdale
- dollar general 20584, waterloo
- dollar general 21239, cedar falls
- dollar general 25972, dunkerton
- dollar general 30944, raymond
- dollar general 30998, waterloo
- dollar general 4698, waterloo
- dollar general 7136, waterloo
- dollar general 7162, waterloo
- dollar general store 16973, la porte city
- dollar tree 1397, waterloo
- dollar tree 2259, cedar falls
- dollar tree 6008, waterloo
- dollar tree 6655, waterloo
- dollar tree 7808, evansdale
- family dollar 12879, waterloo
- family dollar 12906, evansdale
- family dollar 5600, waterloo
- family dollar store 10944, waterloo
- hansen's dairy, waterloo
- red-light market, waterloo
- walgreens 10557, cedar falls
- walgreens 10855, waterloo
- walgreens 3590, waterloo
- walgreens 7455, waterloo
Super Store · 15
- cf hv fast & fresh 1052, cedar falls
- dollar general 21528, waterloo
- fareway stores, inc. 190, cedar falls
- fareway stores, inc. 67, evansdale
- fareway stores, inc. 951, waterloo
- fareway stores, inc. 974, cedar falls
- hy-vee food store 1052, cedar falls
- hy-vee food store 1860, waterloo
- hy-vee food store 1863, waterloo
- hy-vee food and drugstore 1866, waterloo
- sam's club 6514, waterloo
- target stores t- 1792, waterloo
- target stores t- 2526, cedar falls
- walmart 753, cedar falls
- walmart sc 1496, waterloo
Small Grocery Store · 7
- ajla's bakery and grocery, llc, waterloo
- balkan grocery, waterloo
- euro fresh, waterloo
- ledo, waterloo
- m&j caribbean market #928, waterloo
- masala market, cedar falls
- new asian market, waterloo
Medium Grocery Store · 5
- el mercadito tienda mexicana mexican store 2, waterloo
- glory african market, llc, waterloo
- michuacana meat market, waterloo
- thriftway, la porte city
- us 5 store, waterloo
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 72033, waterloo
- aldi 72064, cedar falls
- glenmen 2 llc, hudson
- kfd grocery inc, waterloo
- vitamin cottage natural food market u132, cedar falls
Farmers' Market · 3
- cedar falls farmers market, cedar falls
- college hill farmers market nafmnp, cedar falls
- waterloo urban farmers market, waterloo
Large Grocery Store · 3
- hornbill asian market 1, waterloo
- la placita, waterloo
- shwe nyiko market & asian foods, waterloo
Bakery Specialty · 2
- papa murphy's pizza ia003, cedar falls
- papa murphy's pizza ia015, waterloo
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- gilbertville locker, gilbertville
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.
Compare Black Hawk County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Nationwide peers for Black Hawk County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Black Hawk County (11.1%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Iowa.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IA (27.5% here).
- Bourbon County, KS · 27.5% low-access
- Bourbon County, KS · 27.5% low-access
- Owyhee County, ID · 27.5% low-access
- Owyhee County, ID · 27.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (11.1% here).
- Washington County, ID · 11.1% SNAP
- Washington County, ID · 11.1% SNAP
- Minidoka County, ID · 11.1% SNAP
- Minidoka County, ID · 11.1% 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, Iowa in context
Black Hawk County sits inside Iowa (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 Black Hawk County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19013. 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.