PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Minnesota

Blue Earth County, MN

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Blue Earth County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census 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

The food-access picture

38.9% of Blue Earth County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
11K
food-desert residents
6.6%
households, no vehicle
15.7%
below poverty line

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, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts Blue Earth County's low-access share at 38.9%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 16 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 24,888 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,875 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

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: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 16 census tracts in Blue Earth County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

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

Blue Earth County vs. other Minnesota counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Minnesota

% 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 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%
SNAP participation in Blue Earth County 8.8%

About 8.8% of Blue Earth County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 38.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 8.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,416 households here.
  • 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Blue Earth County

above the national share

4 of Blue Earth County's 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 24,888 residents, roughly 38.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 10,875 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (56.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers 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 retailers.

Other Counties in Minnesota

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 →

Food access nationally, Minnesota in context

Blue Earth County sits inside Minnesota (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; 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

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Blue Earth County has low food access? ▼
38.9% of residents in Blue Earth County, MN live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Blue Earth County? ▼
8.8% of households in Blue Earth County receive SNAP, covering 2,416 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Blue Earth County? ▼
The poverty rate in Blue Earth County, MN is 15.7%, with a median household income of $74,477 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Blue Earth County a food desert? ▼
4 of Blue Earth County's 16 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Blue Earth County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.6% of households in Blue Earth County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

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.