Signature · 11.6% SNAP (93rd pct in KS)
Cowley County, KS
Cowley County stands out on SNAP (11.6%, -0.5 pts vs U.S.) with 28.5% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 28.5%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 11.6%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Cowley County, KS
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 28.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 27% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Atchison County (+ 0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Cowley County ranks #1,040 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #48 of 105 counties in KS (28.5% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,040
- national by low-access %
- #48
- in KS
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 11.6% SNAP (93rd pct in KS) (-0.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Cowley County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cowley County's 28.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 66% of them and ranked #1,050 most-affected nationwide.
Cowley County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Cowley County has 8 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.
Cowley County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Kansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Clark
Clark 100%
100 % low-access
- Reno 29.1
Reno 29.1%
29.1 % low-access
- Wyandotte 28.9
Wyandotte 28.9%
28.9 % low-access
- Atchison 28.7
Atchison 28.7%
28.7 % low-access
- Cowley 28.5
Cowley 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Decatur 27.9
Decatur 27.9%
27.9 % low-access
- Jefferson 1.1
Jefferson 1.1%
1.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 11 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 36,311 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 10,347 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.5%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,473 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 34,411 |
| Median Household Income | $57,878 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,556 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.6%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Cowley County
Cowley County has 28 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 11
- casey's 3340, arkansas city
- casey's 3435, arkansas city
- casey's general store 1789, arkansas city
- casey's general store 1822, winfield
- food mart, winfield
- jumpstart, winfield
- jumpstart 1 2, winfield
- loves country store 97, arkansas city
- u pump it 221, udall
- u pump it 222, burden
- u pump it 224, winfield
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- braums 127, arkansas city
- braums 237, winfield
- dollar general 22013, udall
- dollar general 23987, arkansas city
- dollar general 2456, winfield
- dollar tree 5998, arkansas city
- family dollar 1984, arkansas city
Super Store · 4
- dillon store 038, arkansas city
- dillon store 045, winfield
- walmart 0369, winfield
- walmart sc 978, arkansas city
Farmers' Market · 2
- arkansas city farm and art market nafmnp, arkansas city
- walnut valley farmers' market, winfield
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- wb meats llc, arkansas city
- walnut valley meat market winfield, winfield
Small Grocery Store · 2
- khao kham market, winfield
- tienda mary 1, arkansas 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 Kansas
One of 104 counties in Kansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Cowley County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Cowley County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Cowley County (11.6%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Kansas.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside KS (28.5% here).
- Webster Parish, LA · 28.5% low-access
- Webster Parish, LA · 28.5% low-access
- Copiah County, MS · 28.5% low-access
- Copiah County, MS · 28.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside KS (11.6% here).
- Miami County, IN · 11.6% SNAP
- Miami County, IN · 11.6% SNAP
- Fayette County, IL · 11.6% SNAP
- Fayette County, IL · 11.6% 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, Kansas in context
Cowley County sits inside Kansas (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 Cowley County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20035. 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.