Signature · 3 LILA tracts (60% of tracts)
Columbia County, AR
Columbia County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (60% of the book) alongside 19.5% low-access.
- 19.5%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 11.8%
- on SNAP
- 22K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Columbia County, AR
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 19.5% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -2.6 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 60% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Poinsett County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Columbia County ranks #1,717 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #52 of 75 counties in AR (19.5% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,717
- national by low-access %
- #52
- in AR
- 4
- 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 Columbia County compares nationally
Columbia County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.5% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,727).
Columbia County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Columbia 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.
Columbia County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Lafayette 21.1
Lafayette 21.1%
21.1 % low-access
- Boone 20.9
Boone 20.9%
20.9 % low-access
- Columbia 19.5
Columbia 19.5%
19.5 % low-access
- Poinsett 19.3
Poinsett 19.3%
19.3 % low-access
- Greene 18
Greene 18%
18 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 24,552 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,795 |
| Low-Access Share | 19.5%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,114 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 22,349 |
| Median Household Income | $55,334 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 993 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.8%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 9.2% |
SNAP retailers in Columbia County
Columbia County has 24 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 11 locations (46% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- dollar general 4448, magnolia
- dollar general 11746, waldo
- dollar general 16297, taylor
- dollar general 18085, magnolia
- dollar general 22698, magnolia
- dollar general 30267, magnolia
- dollar general 30686, emerson
- dollar general 30820, magnolia
- dollar tree 2918, magnolia
- family dollar 1192, magnolia
- walgreens 10897, magnolia
Convenience Store · 7
- captains food mart 32, waldo
- dixie mart 17285, magnolia
- emerson quickstop llc, emerson
- ice box of exxon llc, magnolia
- magnolia travel center, magnolia
- murphy usa 7824, magnolia
- the tiger den, taylor
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- keith's grocery, magnolia
- magnolia meat market, magnolia
Supermarket · 2
- brookshire food store 81, magnolia
- mac's cash saver 15, magnolia
Large Grocery Store · 1
- waldo cash saver 3339, waldo
Super Store · 1
- walmart 83, magnolia
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Columbia County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Columbia County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Columbia County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AR (19.5% here).
- Kosciusko County, IN · 19.5% low-access
- Kosciusko County, IN · 19.5% low-access
- Grant Parish, LA · 19.5% low-access
- Grant Parish, LA · 19.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (11.8% here).
- Catoosa County, GA · 11.8% SNAP
- Catoosa County, GA · 11.8% SNAP
- Chatham County, GA · 11.8% SNAP
- Chatham County, GA · 11.8% 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, Arkansas in context
Columbia County sits inside Arkansas (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 Columbia County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05027. 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.