PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Arkansas

Craighead County, AR

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Craighead County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

21.3%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
11.8%
on SNAP
113K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AR

The food-access picture

21.3% of Craighead County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
9K
food-desert residents
6.4%
households, no vehicle
20.1%
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).

USDA data puts Craighead County's low-access share at 21.3%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 17 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 20,573 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,798 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 Craighead County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Craighead County's 21.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,581 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Craighead County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 17 census tracts in Craighead 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 Craighead County, AR USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 17 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (58.8%) 4 tracts limited (23.5%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (17.6%) Adequate 59% Limited 24% Severe 18% Food-access tier distribution: Craighead County, AR
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Craighead County vs. other Arkansas counties

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

% 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 Craighead County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts17
Atlas Population (2010 basis)96,443
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population20,573
Low-Access Share21.3%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,798

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Craighead County
IndicatorValue
Population113,249
Median Household Income$59,548
Poverty Rate20.1%above the national average
SNAP Households5,240
SNAP Participation Rate11.8%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.9%
SNAP participation in Craighead County 11.8%

About 11.8% of Craighead County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,240 households here.
  • 6.4% 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 Craighead County

above the national share

3 of Craighead County's 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 17.6% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 20,573 residents, roughly 21.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,798 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (58.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Craighead County

Craighead County has 99 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 48 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 48

  • 101 express mart, jonesboro
  • 807 caraway express llc, jonesboro
  • adoosh mini mart, jonesboro
  • bridge mini mart, jonesboro
  • casey's 3287, jonesboro
  • caliarka petro, llc 98, jonesboro
  • captains food mart 37, jonesboro
  • caraway express mart, caraway
  • caraway fuels, jonesboro
  • doublebees 129, jonesboro
  • flowers bakery outlet 586, jonesboro
  • gee street market, jonesboro
  • jordan's kwik stop 51, bay
  • jordans kwik stop 18, lake city
  • jordans kwik stop 2, jonesboro
  • jordans kwik stop 25, brookland
  • jordans kwik stop 29, bono
  • jordans kwik stop 31, jonesboro
  • jordans kwik stop 40, cash
  • jordans kwik stop 41, brookland
  • jordans kwik stop 54, jonesboro
  • jordans kwik stop 64, monette
  • jordans kwik stop 80, jonesboro
  • jordans kwik stop 81, bay
  • love's travel stop 607, jonesboro
  • ms express, jonesboro
  • main stop gas, jonesboro
  • mainstop 2, jonesboro
  • maverik 5125, bono
  • maverik 5126, jonesboro
  • maverik 5127, jonesboro
  • maverik 5128, jonesboro
  • maverik 5142, jonesboro
  • maverik 5253, jonesboro
  • maverik 5366, jonesboro
  • maverik 5378, jonesboro
  • murphy express 8523, jonesboro
  • murphy usa 7135, jonesboro
  • murphy usa 7938, jonesboro
  • race st market, jonesboro
  • snm express 1, jonesboro
  • speedy wolf express, jonesboro
  • stadium shop n go- citgo, jonesboro
  • subs & grubs, jonesboro
  • sun & luna, jonesboro
  • ta express jonesboro, jonesboro
  • university market, jonesboro
  • vihargas, llc, jonesboro

Combination Grocery/Other · 29

  • cvs pharmacy 10666, jonesboro
  • chicken city 2, jonesboro
  • dollar general 1467, jonesboro
  • dollar general 18753, jonesboro
  • dollar general 20705, jonesboro
  • dollar general 3744, jonesboro
  • dollar general 4786, bono
  • dollar general 782, jonesboro
  • dollar general 7932, lake city
  • dollar general 9665, caraway
  • dollar tree 1058, jonesboro
  • dollartree 8837, jonesboro
  • dollartree 9756, brookland
  • dollar general 11895, monette
  • dollar general 12960, jonesboro
  • dollar general 13081, jonesboro
  • dollar general 13093, jonesboro
  • dollar general 13526, brookland
  • dollar general 14873, jonesboro
  • dollar general 16160, jonesboro
  • dollar general 16228, jonesboro
  • dollar general 19870, jonesboro
  • dollar general 31415, bay
  • dollar general 3485, jonesboro
  • dollar tree 450, jonesboro
  • family dollar 13626, lake city
  • family dollar 3527, jonesboro
  • walgreens 06765, jonesboro
  • walgreens 15852, jonesboro

Super Store · 9

  • harps food store 178, brookland
  • harps food store 190, jonesboro
  • kroger 409, jonesboro
  • sam's club 6377, jonesboro
  • target store t 1919, jonesboro
  • walmart 128, jonesboro
  • walmart 45, jonesboro
  • walmart neighborhood market 6876, jonesboro
  • walmart neighborhood market 6943, jonesboro

Supermarket · 7

  • aldi 62, jonesboro
  • bill's cost plus 400, jonesboro
  • bill's cost plus 401, jonesboro
  • bill's cost plus 403, jonesboro
  • food smart 6, jonesboro
  • food smart 7, jonesboro
  • vitamin cottage natural food market u138, jonesboro

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • asian food market, jonesboro
  • don pepe inc, jonesboro
  • the truck patch 2, jonesboro

Delivery Route · 1

  • 24 hours cart, jonesboro

Farmers' Market · 1

  • judd hill farmers' market, jonesboro

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • farmers market 2721, monette

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Arkansas

Arkansas County
47.0% low-access · 14.9% SNAP
Ashley County
21.8% low-access · 13.2% SNAP
Baxter County
16.4% low-access · 8.5% SNAP
Benton County
24.9% low-access · 3.9% SNAP
Boone County
20.9% low-access · 8.4% SNAP
Bradley County
23.8% low-access · 17.5% SNAP

Compare Craighead County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →

Food access nationally, Arkansas in context

Craighead County sits inside Arkansas (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 Craighead County has low food access? ▼
21.3% of residents in Craighead County, AR 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 Craighead County? ▼
11.8% of households in Craighead County receive SNAP, covering 5,240 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Craighead County? ▼
The poverty rate in Craighead County, AR is 20.1%, with a median household income of $59,548 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Craighead County a food desert? ▼
3 of Craighead County's 17 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 Craighead County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.4% of households in Craighead 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.