County food-access profile · Missouri
Cedar County, MO
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Cedar 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).
- 21.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 12.2%
- on SNAP
- 15K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
21.2% of Cedar County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 6.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.0%
- 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 Cedar County's low-access share at 21.2%, above the national share. 2 of the county's 3 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 2,971 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,535 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 Cedar County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cedar County's 21.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,587 most-affected nationwide.
Cedar County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 3 census tracts in Cedar County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Cedar County vs. other Missouri counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri
- Cedar
Cedar County, MO
21.2 % low-access
- Adair
Adair County, MO
27.3 % low-access
- Andrew
Andrew County, MO
15.8 % low-access
- Atchison 5.1
Atchison County, MO
5.1 % low-access
- Audrain
Audrain County, MO
22.6 % low-access
- Barry
Barry County, MO
19.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 13,982 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,971 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,535 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 14,615 |
| Median Household Income | $48,181 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 705 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 12.2% of Cedar County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 21.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 705 households here.
- 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 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 Cedar County
above the national share
2 of Cedar County's 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 66.7% of all its tracts.
An estimated 2,971 residents, roughly 21.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,535 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Cedar County
Cedar County has 14 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (36% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 1567, el dorado springs
- dollar general 25986, stockton
- dollar general 6199, stockton
- family dollar 12801, el dorado springs
- family dollar 13141, stockton
Convenience Store · 4
- casey's 1071, stockton
- casey's general store 3099, el dorado springs
- petes 39, el dorado springs
- pitt stop, el dorado springs
Super Store · 2
- woods supermarket 473, stockton
- woods supermarket 474, el dorado springs
Farmers' Market · 1
- cedar county farmers market-el dorado springs, el dorado springs
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- cedar county meat market llc, stockton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- kinfolk market, humansville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Missouri
Compare Cedar County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Food access nationally, Missouri in context
Cedar County sits inside Missouri (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 Cedar County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Cedar County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Cedar County? ▼
Is Cedar County a food desert? ▼
What share of Cedar 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.