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Signature · 38.9% low-access (86th pct)

Blue Earth County, MN

Blue Earth County sits in the upper national band on low-access (38.9%, +16.8 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.

38.9%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
8.8%
on SNAP
70K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MN

USDA FARA access plate

County Blue Earth County, MN

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 38.9% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +16.8 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 8.8% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA

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

Upper-band low-access

Blue Earth County sits in the upper national band (38.9%, #439 of 3,079) with 4 LILA tracts.

#439
national by low-access %
#13
in MN
7
low-access tracts
11K
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: 38.9% low-access (86th pct) (+16.8 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Blue Earth County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Blue Earth County's 38.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #444 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Blue Earth County's elevated USDA tier split

16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Blue Earth County, MN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (56.3%) 3 tracts limited (18.8%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 56% Limited 19% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Blue Earth County, MN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Blue Earth County has 10 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.

Blue Earth County vs nearby high low-access peers

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

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

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Blue Earth County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)64,013
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population24,888
Low-Access Share38.9%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population10,875

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Blue Earth County
IndicatorValue
Population69,871
Median Household Income$74,477
Poverty Rate15.7%above the national average
SNAP Households2,416
SNAP Participation Rate8.8%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.3%

Thick SNAP store book in Blue Earth County

Blue Earth County has 50 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 24 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 24

  • casey's 3239, mapleton
  • casey's 2873, eagle lake
  • casey's general store 2266, mankato
  • casey's general store 2696, madison lake
  • casey's general store 2995, amboy
  • casey's general store 3745, mankato
  • circle k 2746522, mankato
  • eagle express, eagle lake
  • global ethopian market llc, mankato
  • holiday stationstore 2746021, mankato
  • happy dan llc, mankato
  • holiday stationstore 2746011, mankato
  • hy-vee c-store #1 5393, mankato
  • kwik trip 334, mankato
  • kwik trip 344, mankato
  • kwik trip 379, mankato
  • kwik trip 431, mankato
  • kwik trip 449, mankato
  • kwik trip 275, mankato
  • kwik trip 1011, mankato
  • lehillier quick mart, mankato
  • marathon, mankato
  • red iron mercantile llc, good thunder
  • ta express mankato, mankato

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs 3054, mankato
  • cvs 6635, mankato
  • dollar general 25996, madison lake
  • dollar general 30216, amboy
  • dollar general 30788, mapleton
  • dollar tree 3237, mankato
  • family dollar store 4833, mankato
  • noan african food, mankato
  • walgreens 07290, mankato

Super Store · 5

  • hy-vee foods 1393, mankato
  • hy-vee foods 1394, mankato
  • sam's club 6510, mankato
  • target store 663, mankato
  • walmart 1473, mankato

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 46019 46019, mankato
  • cub foods 1606, mankato
  • cub foods 1653, mankato
  • kevin's market, lake crystal

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • brothers restaurant & grocery, mankato
  • kilty's market, mapleton
  • mocols supermarket, mankato

Bakery Specialty · 2

  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza mn001, mankato
  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza mn024, mankato

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • international grocery and halal, mankato
  • y&r store, mankato

Farmers' Market · 1

  • mankato farmers' market, mankato

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

Other Counties in Minnesota

One of 86 counties in Minnesota, 6 are shown here.

Aitkin County
33.8% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Anoka County
38.3% low-access · 7.2% SNAP
Becker County
34.5% low-access · 11.6% SNAP
Beltrami County
32.3% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Benton County
30.0% low-access · 8.6% SNAP
Big Stone County
38.4% low-access · 9.5% SNAP

Compare Blue Earth County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →

Counties near Blue Earth County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Blue Earth County, both outside Minnesota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside MN (38.9% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside MN (8.8% 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.

Blue Earth County inside a higher low-access state context

Blue Earth County sits inside Minnesota (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 Blue Earth County, MN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 27013. 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.