County food-access profile · South Dakota
Buffalo County, SD
Buffalo County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 18.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 23.6%
- on SNAP
- 2K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
18.1% of Buffalo County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 230
- food-desert residents
- 13.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 33.9%
- 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).
Buffalo County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.1% per the USDA Atlas. 0 of the county's 1 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 347 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Buffalo County compares nationally
Buffalo County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.1% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,854).
Buffalo County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 1 census tracts in Buffalo County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Buffalo County vs. other South Dakota counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Dakota
- Buffalo 18.1
Buffalo County, SD
18.1 % low-access
- Aurora
Aurora County, SD
70.4 % low-access
- Beadle 29
Beadle County, SD
29 % low-access
- Bennett
Bennett County, SD
39.2 % low-access
- Bon Homme
Bon Homme County, SD
80.2 % low-access
- Brookings
Brookings County, SD
45.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,912 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 347 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.1%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 230 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,808 |
| Median Household Income | $47,045 |
| Poverty Rate | 33.9%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 120 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 23.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 13.0%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | N/A |
About 23.6% of Buffalo County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 18.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 23.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 120 households here.
- 13.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $47,045 with a 33.9% poverty rate.
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 Buffalo County
near the national share
An estimated 347 residents, roughly 18.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 230 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
None of Buffalo County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.
SNAP retailers in Buffalo County
Buffalo County has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 2 locations (67% of the total), followed by supermarket.
Convenience Store · 2
- crow creek convenience store, ft thompson
- shelbys mini mart, fort thompson
Supermarket · 1
- lynns dakotamart, fort thompson
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Dakota
Compare Buffalo County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
Food access nationally, South Dakota in context
Buffalo County sits inside South Dakota (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Buffalo County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Buffalo County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Buffalo County? ▼
Is Buffalo County a food desert? ▼
What share of Buffalo County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.