Signature · 38.2% low-access (85th pct)
DeKalb County, IL
DeKalb County sits in the upper national band on low-access (38.2%, +16.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 38.2%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 14.7%
- on SNAP
- 101K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County DeKalb County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 38.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +16.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 5 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 24% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Morgan County (+ 0.3 pts)
Upper-band low-access
DeKalb County sits in the upper national band (38.2%, #472 of 3,079) with 5 LILA tracts.
- #472
- national by low-access %
- #13
- in IL
- 13
- low-access tracts
- 15K
- 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: 38.2% low-access (85th pct) (+16.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How DeKalb County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, DeKalb County's 38.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #475 most-affected nationwide.
DeKalb County's elevated USDA tier split
21 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 5 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, DeKalb County has 15 urban and 6 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.
DeKalb County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Fayette
Fayette 39.3%
39.3 % low-access
- Tazewell
Tazewell 39.3%
39.3 % low-access
- Morgan
Morgan 38.5%
38.5 % low-access
- DeKalb
DeKalb 38.2%
38.2 % low-access
- Monroe
Monroe 37.4%
37.4 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 21 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 105,160 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 13 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 40,154 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 15,338 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 100,703 |
| Median Household Income | $70,724 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.8%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,827 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.8% |
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare DeKalb County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Counties near DeKalb County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for DeKalb County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (38.2% here).
- Rio Arriba County, NM · 38.2% low-access
- Rio Arriba County, NM · 38.2% low-access
- Haskell County, OK · 38.2% low-access
- Haskell County, OK · 38.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (14.7% here).
- Franklin County, GA · 14.7% SNAP
- Franklin County, GA · 14.7% SNAP
- Glenn County, CA · 14.7% SNAP
- Glenn County, CA · 14.7% 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.
DeKalb County inside a higher low-access state context
DeKalb County sits inside Illinois (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 DeKalb County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17037. 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.