PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Clinton County, MO

Clinton 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.

11.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
7.8%
on SNAP
21K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

11.7% of Clinton County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
636
food-desert residents
4.4%
households, no vehicle
12.3%
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).

Clinton County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.7% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 4 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,424 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 636 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 Clinton County compares nationally

Clinton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.7% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,363).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Clinton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 4 census tracts in Clinton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Clinton County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (75.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 0% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Clinton County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Clinton County vs. other Missouri counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Clinton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)20,743
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population2,424
Low-Access Share11.7%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population636

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Clinton County
IndicatorValue
Population21,414
Median Household Income$70,627
Poverty Rate12.3%below the national average
SNAP Households646
SNAP Participation Rate7.8%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.0%
SNAP participation in Clinton County 7.8%

About 7.8% of Clinton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 11.7% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 7.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 646 households here.
  • 4.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Clinton County

near the national share

1 of Clinton County's 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,424 residents, roughly 11.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 636 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Clinton County

Clinton County has 21 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 9 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 9

  • casey's 4540, lathrop
  • cameron smoke & liquor, cameron
  • casey's 1895, cameron
  • casey's 2540, lathrop
  • holt truck stop, holt
  • love's travel stop 837, cameron
  • right choice, cameron
  • shell food mart, cameron
  • the mule stop, lathrop

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • cvs/pharmacy 11308, plattsburg
  • dollar general 3228, cameron
  • dollar general 9367, lathrop
  • dollar general store 13373, plattsburg
  • dollar general store 13601, gower
  • dollar general store 16433, trimble
  • dollar tree 7370, cameron

Farmers' Market · 1

  • the old school of cameron farmers and makers marke, cameron

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • gower market llc dba hy-klas foods #2, gower

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • steak-n-stuff, cameron

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • hy-klas foods 3, lathrop

Supermarket · 1

  • plattsburg market llc dba hy-klas foods #1, plattsburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Adair County
27.3% low-access · 9.0% SNAP
Andrew County
15.8% low-access · 4.9% SNAP
Atchison County
5.1% low-access · 5.8% SNAP
Audrain County
22.6% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Barry County
19.7% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Barton County
56.5% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Clinton County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Clinton County sits inside Missouri (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Clinton County has low food access? ▼
11.7% of residents in Clinton County, MO live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Clinton County? ▼
7.8% of households in Clinton County receive SNAP, covering 646 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Clinton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Clinton County, MO is 12.3%, with a median household income of $70,627 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Clinton County a food desert? ▼
1 of Clinton County's 4 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Clinton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.4% of households in Clinton County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.