Signature · 5.5% SNAP (11th pct in IA)
Dallas County, IA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Dallas 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).
- 22.1%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 5.5%
- on SNAP
- 108K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Dallas County, IA
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 22.1% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.0 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 7% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Union County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Dallas County ranks #1,521 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #34 of 98 counties in IA (22.1% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,521
- national by low-access %
- #34
- in IA
- 7
- 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: 5.5% SNAP (11th pct in IA) (-6.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Dallas County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Dallas County's 22.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,524 most-affected nationwide.
Dallas County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
15 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Dallas County has 8 urban and 7 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.
Dallas County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint
- Fremont
Fremont 76%
76 % low-access
- Mitchell 22.3
Mitchell 22.3%
22.3 % low-access
- Pocahontas 22.3
Pocahontas 22.3%
22.3 % low-access
- Floyd 22.2
Floyd 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Dallas 22.1
Dallas 22.1%
22.1 % low-access
- Union 22.1
Union 22.1%
22.1 % low-access
- Grundy 0
Grundy 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 15 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 66,135 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 14,599 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.1%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,587 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 107,968 |
| Median Household Income | $102,379 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.3%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,337 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.5%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Dallas County
Dallas County has 64 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 35 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 35
- blue jay market, perry
- casey's 3826, adel
- casey's 4319, perry
- casey's 4335, dallas center
- casey's 5209, de soto
- casey's 5252, waukee
- casey's 2559, granger
- casey's 4269, waukee
- casey's general store 1493, van meter
- casey's general store 1680, adel
- casey's general store 2179, waukee
- casey's general store 2538, waukee
- casey's general store 2551, woodward
- casey's general store 2553, redfield
- casey's general store 2698, perry
- casey's general store 2899, de soto
- casey's general store 3640, waukee
- caseys general store 0095, dexter
- hy-vee c store 5873, waukee
- hy-vee fast and fresh #2 7588, waukee
- jmc supermarket, perry
- kwik star 1056, waukee
- kwik star 1180, perry
- kwik star 1189, de soto
- kwik star 1702, clive
- maverik 5020, waukee
- maverik 5282, west des moines
- maverik 5284, waukee
- maverik 5298, waukee
- maverik 5364, west des moines
- mega saver 52, urbandale
- mega saver 57, adel
- the baker's pantry, dallas center
- waukee fast & fresh 7587, waukee
- west des moines fast & fresh 7590, west des moines
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- dollartree 8604, perry
- dollar general 16060, de soto
- dollar general 21196, dallas center
- dollar general 22448, redfield
- dollar general 24268, woodward
- dollar general 7169, perry
- dollar tree 4256, west des moines
- dollar tree 4589, waukee
- family dollar 5428, adel
- walgreens 07967, clive
Super Store · 10
- costco wholesale 0788, west des moines
- fareway stores, inc. 124, adel
- fareway stores, inc. 233, clive
- fareway stores, inc. 262, granger
- fareway stores, inc. 470, perry
- fareway stores, inc. 989, waukee
- hy-vee 1873, waukee
- hy-vee food store 1522, perry
- hy-vee food and drugstore 1889, west des moines
- target store t2909, waukee
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- el rey market llc, perry
- maria grocery, west des moines
- oasis corporation, perry
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 36, waukee
- aldi 72040, west des moines
- trader joe's 721, west des moines
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's pizza ia029, clive
Farmers' Market · 1
- perry farmers' market, perry
Small Grocery Store · 1
- mills grocery & liquor, west des moines
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Iowa
One of 98 counties in Iowa, 6 are shown here.
Compare Dallas County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Nationwide peers for Dallas County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Dallas County (5.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Iowa.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IA (22.1% here).
- Douglas County, KS · 22.1% low-access
- Douglas County, KS · 22.1% low-access
- Orange County, FL · 22.1% low-access
- Orange County, FL · 22.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (5.5% here).
- Woodford County, IL · 5.5% SNAP
- Woodford County, IL · 5.5% SNAP
- Roseau County, MN · 5.5% SNAP
- Roseau County, MN · 5.5% 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, Iowa in context
Dallas County sits inside Iowa (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 Dallas County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19049. 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.