Signature · 5.9% SNAP (7th pct in MO)
Cole County, MO
Cole County sits in the upper national band on low-access (31.2%, +9.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 31.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 5.9%
- on SNAP
- 77K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Cole County, MO
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 31.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +9.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 13% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clay County ( -0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Cole County sits in the upper national band (31.2%, #865 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #865
- national by low-access %
- #29
- in MO
- 10
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- 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: 5.9% SNAP (7th pct in MO) (-6.2 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Cole County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cole County's 31.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 72% of them and ranked #866 most-affected nationwide.
Cole County's elevated USDA tier split
15 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Cole County has 9 urban and 6 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.
Cole County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Missouri, not a full county-board reprint
- Mercer
Mercer 99.8%
99.8 % low-access
- Cooper 31.3
Cooper 31.3%
31.3 % low-access
- Cole 31.2
Cole 31.2%
31.2 % low-access
- Clay 31.1
Clay 31.1%
31.1 % low-access
- Jefferson 31
Jefferson 31%
31 % low-access
- Cape Girardeau 30.8
Cape Girardeau 30.8%
30.8 % low-access
- Mississippi 3
Mississippi 3%
3 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 15 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 75,990 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 10 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 23,730 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,764 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 77,032 |
| Median Household Income | $74,876 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,847 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.9%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Cole County
Cole County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 31
- 17 eagle stop 61, eugene
- beeline snack shop #12, jefferson city
- beeline snack shop 1, jefferson city
- break time 3172, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3043, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3044, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3045, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3049, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3050, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3118, jefferson city
- break time convenience 3158, jefferson city
- brooks street 66, jefferson city
- casey's 2033, jefferson city
- casey's general store 3665, wardsville
- eastland 66, jefferson city
- eugene eagle stop 1, eugene
- hs petroleum corp, jefferson city
- hy-vee gas 5303, jefferson city
- jc health foods, jefferson city
- jefferson city 1 bp, jefferson city
- jefferson city eagle stop 3, jefferson city
- king of discount grocery & tobacco, jefferson city
- la raza market, jefferson city
- la tiendita el tapatio, jefferson city
- lohman eagle stop 16, lohman
- midwest petroleum 47, jefferson city
- morli, inc., jefferson city
- mr convenience, jefferson city
- s&s petroleum llc, jefferson city
- southwest eagle stop 63, jefferson city
- truman 66, jefferson city
Combination Grocery/Other · 16
- dollartree 9471, jefferson city
- dollartree plus 9204, jefferson city
- dollar general 10286, eugene
- dollar general 11811, russellville
- dollar general 1219, jefferson city
- dollar general 1433, jefferson city
- dollar general 17598, jefferson city
- dollar general 20651, wardsville
- dollar general 21883, saint martins
- dollar general 24448, jefferson city
- dollar general 30714, jefferson city
- dollar general 9518, jefferson city
- dollar tree 0558, jefferson city
- walgreens 09713, jefferson city
- walgreens 12749, jefferson city
- walgreens 3017, jefferson city
Super Store · 9
- gerbes 118, jefferson city
- gerbes 122, jefferson city
- hy-vee food store 1303, jefferson city
- sam's club 6505, jefferson city
- schnucks 726, jefferson city
- schultes fresh foods, jefferson city
- target stores t- 0752, jefferson city
- walmart sc 5477, jefferson city
- walmart supercenter 29, jefferson city
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 41085, jefferson city
- hen house 47, jefferson city
- jefferson city u163, jefferson city
Farmers' Market · 1
- capital city farmers market, jefferson city
Large Grocery Store · 1
- shirks country market llc, centertown
Small Grocery Store · 1
- rb international food store, jefferson city
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Missouri
One of 114 counties in Missouri, 6 are shown here.
Compare Cole County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Counties near Cole County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Cole County (5.9%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Missouri.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MO (31.2% here).
- Washington County, RI · 31.2% low-access
- Washington County, RI · 31.2% low-access
- Yazoo County, MS · 31.1% low-access
- Sanders County, MT · 31.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MO (5.9% here).
- Carroll County, IA · 5.9% SNAP
- Carroll County, IA · 5.9% SNAP
- Monroe County, GA · 5.9% SNAP
- Monroe County, GA · 5.9% 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.
Cole County inside a higher low-access state context
Cole County sits inside Missouri (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 Cole County, MO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 29051. 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.