Signature · 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts)
Clearwater County, MN
Clearwater County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of the book) alongside 39.2% low-access.
- 39.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 13.1%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Clearwater County, MN
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 39.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +17.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 13.1% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 9.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 67% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Blue Earth County ( -0.3 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Clearwater County sits in the upper national band (39.2%, #430 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #430
- national by low-access %
- #12
- in MN
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts) .
How Clearwater County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Clearwater County's 39.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #430 most-affected nationwide.
Clearwater County's elevated USDA tier split
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 3 of Clearwater County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Clearwater County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Minnesota, not a full county-board reprint
- Red Lake
Red Lake 99.2%
99.2 % low-access
- Kandiyohi
Kandiyohi 39.8%
39.8 % low-access
- Clearwater 39.2
Clearwater 39.2%
39.2 % low-access
- Blue Earth 38.9
Blue Earth 38.9%
38.9 % low-access
- Redwood 38.9
Redwood 38.9%
38.9 % low-access
- Chisago 38.7
Chisago 38.7%
38.7 % low-access
- Fillmore 2.7
Fillmore 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,695 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,404 |
| Low-Access Share | 39.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,317 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,616 |
| Median Household Income | $64,475 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 438 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
SNAP retailers in Clearwater County
Clearwater County has 10 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 10 authorized stores; Bagley holds 70% of them. 1 of the 3 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Gonvick.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Bagley | 7 | 1 |
| Clearbrook | 2 | 1 |
| Gonvick | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 4
- bagley co-op association, bagley
- northern bait & convenience, gonvick
- orton bagley food mart 175, bagley
- y 92 convenience tesoro, clearbrook
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 20404, bagley
- family dollar store 10674, bagley
Farmers' Market · 1
- bagley area farmers market, bagley
Large Grocery Store · 1
- bakken's market llc, clearbrook
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- headwaters meat processing, bagley
Supermarket · 1
- galens supermarket, bagley
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Minnesota
One of 86 counties in Minnesota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Clearwater County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →
Minnesota among West North Central states
Minnesota ranks 3rd of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (27.4%). Clearwater County, at 39.2%, runs 11.8 pts above the Minnesota rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Clearwater County, MN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 27029. 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.