Signature · 3 LILA tracts (60% of tracts)
Clay County, MS
Clay County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (60% of the book) alongside 20.4% low-access.
- 20.4%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 21.0%
- on SNAP
- 18K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Clay County, MS
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 20.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.7 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 21.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 60% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lawrence County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Clay County ranks #1,648 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #40 of 80 counties in MS (20.4% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,648
- national by low-access %
- #40
- in MS
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 3 LILA tracts (60% of tracts) .
How Clay County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Clay County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,657 most-affected nationwide.
Clay County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Clay County has 2 urban and 3 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.
Clay County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Panola 21.3
Panola 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Clay 20.4
Clay 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Lawrence 20.4
Lawrence 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Leake 20.4
Leake 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Lee 19.9
Lee 19.9%
19.9 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 20,634 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,216 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,315 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 18,383 |
| Median Household Income | $43,125 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,638 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 21.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Clay County
Clay County has 28 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 17 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 17
- aloha llc, west point
- exxon west point, west point
- five star, west point
- food basket, prairie
- jay jiya llc, west point
- love's travel stop 677, west point
- mahadev super market, west point
- mantee market inc, mantee
- mckee's quick stop, pheba
- mikes kountry kwik, west point
- mr. market & deli #1, inc., mathiston
- murphy usa 7455, west point
- pheba one stop, pheba
- quick mart, westpoint
- sprint mart 4136, west point
- sprint mart 4141, west point
- west point deli 1, west point
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- cvs pharmacy 2038, west point
- dollar general 12554, west point
- dollar general 13625, west point
- dollar general store 17539, west point
- dollar tree 5923, west point
- family dollar 13585, west point
Supermarket · 2
- fresh value west point llc 83, west point
- sunflower food store #67, west point
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- fulgham's meat market, west point
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- knox grocery, prairie
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 115, west point
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Clay County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Clay County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Clay County, both outside Mississippi so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (20.4% here).
- Howell County, MO · 20.4% low-access
- Howell County, MO · 20.4% low-access
- Washington County, NE · 20.4% low-access
- Washington County, NE · 20.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (21.0% here).
- Dorchester County, MD · 21.0% SNAP
- Dorchester County, MD · 21.0% SNAP
- Allegany County, MD · 21.0% SNAP
- Allegany County, MD · 21.0% 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, Mississippi in context
Clay County sits inside Mississippi (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 Clay County, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28025. 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.