County food-access profile · Arkansas
Columbia County, AR
Columbia 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.
- 19.5%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 11.8%
- on SNAP
- 22K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
19.5% of Columbia County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 3.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 21.1%
- 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).
Columbia County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.5% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,795 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,114 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 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
All 5 census tracts in Columbia County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Columbia County vs. other Arkansas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arkansas
- Columbia
Columbia County, AR
19.5 % low-access
- Arkansas
Arkansas County, AR
47 % low-access
- Ashley
Ashley County, AR
21.8 % low-access
- Baxter 16.4
Baxter County, AR
16.4 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, AR
24.9 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, AR
20.9 % 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% |
About 11.8% of Columbia County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 19.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 993 households here.
- 3.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 3 tracts 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 Columbia County
near the national share
3 of Columbia County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 60.0% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.
An estimated 4,795 residents, roughly 19.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 2,114 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (20.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
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 retailers.
Other Counties in Arkansas
Compare Columbia County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Food access nationally, Arkansas in context
Columbia County sits inside Arkansas (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Columbia County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Columbia County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Columbia County? ▼
Is Columbia County a food desert? ▼
What share of Columbia County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.