Signature · 10.0% SNAP (72nd pct in IA)
Buena Vista County, IA
Buena Vista County stands out on SNAP (10.0%, -2.1 pts vs U.S.) with 16.6% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 16.6%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 21K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Buena Vista County, IA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 16.6% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.5 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 1.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Monona County ( -0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Buena Vista County ranks #1,974 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #49 of 98 counties in IA (16.6% low-access).
- #1,974
- national by low-access %
- #49
- 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: 10.0% SNAP (72nd pct in IA) (-2.1 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Buena Vista County compares nationally
Buena Vista County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.6% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,983).
Buena Vista County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Buena Vista County has 2 urban and 4 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.
Buena Vista County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint
- Fremont
Fremont 76%
76 % low-access
- Benton 17
Benton 17%
17 % low-access
- Muscatine 17
Muscatine 17%
17 % low-access
- Buena Vista 16.6
Buena Vista 16.6%
16.6 % low-access
- Monona 16.3
Monona 16.3%
16.3 % low-access
- Jasper 16.2
Jasper 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- Grundy 0
Grundy 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 20,260 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,367 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,138 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 20,753 |
| Median Household Income | $71,719 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.8%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 754 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 1.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.6% |
SNAP retailers in Buena Vista County
Buena Vista County has 24 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 11
- brew 41, albert city
- casey's general store 2530, alta
- casey's general store 3030, storm lake
- casey's general store 3679, storm lake
- hy-vee fast and fresh express 5634, storm lake
- kimmes country stores 06, alta
- kwik star 1295, storm lake
- murphy usa 6923, storm lake
- sparky's one stop 16, storm lake
- sparkys one stop 6, newell
- valentinas meat market, storm lake
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 1047, storm lake
- el mexicano ii, storm lake
- storm lake african grocery store, storm lake
- walgreens 11330, storm lake
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- may flower asian grocery, storm lake
- sichanh asian food market, storm lake
- yawlay asian market, storm lake
Super Store · 3
- fareway stores, inc. 461, storm lake
- hy-vee food store 1634, storm lake
- walmart sc 1526, storm lake
Farmers' Market · 1
- zabloudils' nafmnp, storm lake
Large Grocery Store · 1
- sioux food center, sioux rapids
Small Grocery Store · 1
- sudee asian market llc. 0, storm lake
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 Buena Vista County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Nationwide peers for Buena Vista County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Buena Vista County (10.0%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Iowa.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IA (16.6% here).
- Shelby County, IN · 16.6% low-access
- Shelby County, IN · 16.6% low-access
- Meade County, KY · 16.6% low-access
- Meade County, KY · 16.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (10.0% here).
- Rush County, IN · 10.0% SNAP
- Rush County, IN · 10.0% SNAP
- Jefferson County, IN · 10.0% SNAP
- Jefferson County, IN · 10.0% 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
Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19021. 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.