PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Buchanan County, MO

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Buchanan 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).

32.6%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
14.5%
on SNAP
84K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

32.6% of Buchanan County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

13
low-access tracts
10K
food-desert residents
8.5%
households, no vehicle
16.0%
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 Buchanan County's low-access share at 32.6%, above the national share. 13 of the county's 25 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 29,075 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,318 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 Buchanan County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Buchanan County's 32.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 75% of them and ranked #773 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Buchanan County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 25 census tracts in Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 12 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 10 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 25 tracts evaluated. 12 tracts adequate (48.0%) 10 tracts limited (40.0%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (12.0%) Adequate 48% Limited 40% Severe 12% Food-access tier distribution: Buchanan County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Buchanan County vs. other Missouri counties

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

% 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 Buchanan County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts25
Atlas Population (2010 basis)89,201
Low-Access Tracts13
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population29,075
Low-Access Share32.6%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population10,318

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Buchanan County
IndicatorValue
Population83,568
Median Household Income$62,158
Poverty Rate16.0%above the national average
SNAP Households4,864
SNAP Participation Rate14.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.5%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.9%
SNAP participation in Buchanan County 14.5%

About 14.5% of Buchanan County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 32.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,864 households here.
  • 8.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Buchanan County

above the national share

3 of Buchanan County's 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.0% of all its tracts.

A further 10 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 13.

An estimated 29,075 residents, roughly 32.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 10,318 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 12 tracts (48.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Buchanan County

Buchanan County has 88 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 47 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 47

  • casey's 4337, saint joseph
  • casey's 2468, saint joseph
  • casey's 2470, saint joseph
  • casey's 6342, saint joseph
  • casey's general store 2471, saint joseph
  • city star 1, saint joseph
  • city star 2, saint joseph
  • cowboy inc, saint joseph
  • fastgas 12, st. joseph
  • fastgas 2, saint joseph
  • fastgas 3, saint joseph
  • fastgas 4, easton
  • fastgas 6, saint joseph
  • fastgas 8, saint joseph
  • frederick discount llc 1, saint joseph
  • galaxy liquor and mart, saint joseph
  • grace african international market, saint joseph
  • hs mart, saint joseph
  • hy-vee gas 5552, saint joseph
  • imperial super gas 1, saint joseph
  • jax mart, saint joseph
  • jay's, agency
  • king hill food mart, saint joseph
  • lakeside mini mart, saint joseph
  • loves travel stop 235, saint joseph
  • messanie grocery store, saint joseph
  • murphy usa 7778, saint joseph
  • pacific quick stop, saint joseph
  • pilot 1323, faucett
  • quantum petroleum, saint joseph
  • quick stop, st. joseph
  • quick stop 1, saint joseph
  • quick stop 3, saint joseph
  • quiktrip 288, saint joseph
  • road star, saint joseph
  • shop smart 4, saint joseph
  • speedy convenience 2, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 1, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 10, st joseph
  • speedys convenience 3, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 4, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 5, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 6, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 7, saint joseph
  • speedys convenience 8, saint joseph
  • u s oil, saint joseph
  • umer karim, saint joseph

Combination Grocery/Other · 21

  • cvs pharmacy 10506, st. joseph
  • cvs pharmacy 5645, saint joseph
  • cvs pharmacy 8236, saint joseph
  • dollar general 18383, saint joseph
  • dollartree 9484, st joseph
  • dollar general 20238, saint joseph
  • dollar general 20299, saint joseph
  • dollar general 20691, saint joseph
  • dollar general 219, saint joseph
  • dollar general 2246, saint joseph
  • dollar general 4158, saint joseph
  • dollar general 4643, saint joseph
  • dollar general 7111, saint joseph
  • dollar tree 1274, saint joseph
  • dollar tree 2397, st joseph
  • dollar tree 8462, saint joseph
  • family dollar 2445, saint joseph
  • green hills, saint joseph
  • walgreens 10725, saint joseph
  • walgreens 4466, saint joseph
  • walgreens 7551, saint joseph

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 46016, saint joseph
  • aldi 46077, saint joseph
  • brothers market 739, saint joseph
  • green hills, saint joseph
  • price chopper 416, saint joseph
  • vitamin cottage natural food market u118, saint joseph

Small Grocery Store · 5

  • leupold greenhouse & orchard, saint joseph
  • nation mart llc, saint joseph
  • r & j island market, saint joseph
  • sabor latino, saint joseph
  • tienda la estrella, saint joseph

Super Store · 5

  • hy-vee 1552, saint joseph
  • sam's club 4920, saint joseph
  • target stores t- 1977, saint joseph
  • walmart sc 2994, saint joseph
  • walmart sc 560, saint joseph

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • fresh market, saint joseph
  • hornbill asian market 4, saint joseph
  • lai asian market, saint joseph

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's take n bake mo004, saint joseph

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Adair County
27.3% low-access · 9.0% SNAP
Andrew County
15.8% low-access · 4.9% SNAP
Atchison County
5.1% low-access · 5.8% SNAP
Audrain County
22.6% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Barry County
19.7% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Barton County
56.5% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Buchanan County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Buchanan County sits inside Missouri (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 Buchanan County has low food access? ▼
32.6% of residents in Buchanan County, MO 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 Buchanan County? ▼
14.5% of households in Buchanan County receive SNAP, covering 4,864 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Buchanan County? ▼
The poverty rate in Buchanan County, MO is 16.0%, with a median household income of $62,158 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Buchanan County a food desert? ▼
3 of Buchanan County's 25 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 Buchanan County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.5% of households in Buchanan 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.