Signature · 10.0% SNAP (82nd pct in NE)
Dawes County, NE
Dawes County stands out on SNAP (10.0%, -2.1 pts vs U.S.) with 29.0% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 29.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Dawes County, NE
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 29.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.9 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Chase County (+ 0.4 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Dawes County sits in the upper national band (29.0%, #1,002 of 3,079).
- #1,002
- national by low-access %
- #48
- in NE
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 891
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 10.0% SNAP (82nd pct in NE) (-2.1 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Dawes County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Dawes County's 29.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #1,002 most-affected nationwide.
Dawes County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Dawes County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (1 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Dawes County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Nebraska, not a full county-board reprint
- Thomas
Thomas 100%
100 % low-access
- Holt 29.8
Holt 29.8%
29.8 % low-access
- Madison 29.6
Madison 29.6%
29.6 % low-access
- Perkins 29.6
Perkins 29.6%
29.6 % low-access
- Chase 29.4
Chase 29.4%
29.4 % low-access
- Dawes 29
Dawes 29%
29 % low-access
- Burt 0.7
Burt 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,182 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,663 |
| Low-Access Share | 29.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 891 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,140 |
| Median Household Income | $56,280 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 344 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 9.9% |
SNAP retailers in Dawes County
Dawes County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Chadron holds 86% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Crawford.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Chadron | 6 | 2 |
| Crawford | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 8655, chadron
- dollartree 9999, chadron
- dollar general 17426, crawford
Convenience Store · 2
- maverik, inc 501, chadron
- pump & pantry 12, chadron
Super Store · 1
- walmart sc 2579, chadron
Supermarket · 1
- safeway 2563, chadron
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Nebraska
One of 92 counties in Nebraska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Dawes County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Nebraska among West North Central states
Nebraska ranks 6th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.9%). Dawes County, at 29.0%, runs 7.1 pts above the Nebraska rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Dawes County, NE are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 31045. 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.