Signature · 18.5% SNAP (86th pct in IL)
Clay County, IL
Clay County stands out on SNAP (18.5%, +6.4 pts vs U.S.) with 18.5% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 18.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 18.5%
- on SNAP
- 13K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Clay County, IL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 18.5% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -3.6 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 18.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clinton County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Clay County ranks #1,811 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #61 of 102 counties in IL (18.5% low-access).
- #1,811
- national by low-access %
- #61
- in IL
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 775
- 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: 18.5% SNAP (86th pct in IL) (+6.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Clay County compares nationally
Clay County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.5% low-access share that beats 42% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,811).
Clay County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Clay County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (3 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Clay County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Lee 18.9
Lee 18.9%
18.9 % low-access
- Clay 18.5
Clay 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Clinton 18.5
Clinton 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Edwards 18.5
Edwards 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Jo Daviess 17.2
Jo Daviess 17.2%
17.2 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 13,815 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,563 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.5%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 775 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 13,052 |
| Median Household Income | $60,417 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 983 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.5%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
SNAP retailers in Clay County
Clay County has 14 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 14 authorized stores; Flora holds 50% of them. 2 of the 4 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Louisville, Xenia.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Flora | 7 | 2 |
| Louisville | 4 | none |
| Clay City | 2 | 1 |
| Xenia | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 7
- casey's general store 1666, louisville
- casey's general store 2282, flora
- casey's general store 2557, clay city
- huck's 103, flora
- mach 1 17, flora
- salt & strings butchery, inc., louisville
- xenia gas station inc, xenia
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 1093, flora
- dollar general 14149, louisville
- dollartree 8544, flora
Super Store · 3
- dollar general 21098, clay city
- price less foods 447, flora
- walmart supercenter 506, flora
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- blairs slaughtering & processing, louisville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Clay County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Clay County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Clay County (18.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Illinois.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (18.5% here).
- Jefferson County, IA · 18.5% low-access
- Lawrence County, PA · 18.5% low-access
- Webb County, TX · 18.5% low-access
- Valley County, ID · 18.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (18.5% here).
- Spalding County, GA · 18.5% SNAP
- Grant Parish, LA · 18.5% SNAP
- Orleans Parish, LA · 18.5% SNAP
- Winston County, MS · 18.5% 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.
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Clay County, at 18.5%, runs 1.7 pts below the Illinois rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Clay County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17025. 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.