County food-access profile · Iowa
Des Moines County, IA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Des Moines 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).
- 30.1%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 11.4%
- on SNAP
- 38K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
30.1% of Des Moines County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
- 7.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.8%
- 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 Des Moines County's low-access share at 30.1%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 11 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 12,123 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,160 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 Des Moines County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Des Moines County's 30.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 70% of them and ranked #932 most-affected nationwide.
Des Moines County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 11 census tracts in Des Moines County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Des Moines County vs. other Iowa counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Iowa
- Des Moines
Des Moines County, IA
30.1 % low-access
- Adair 8
Adair County, IA
8 % low-access
- Adams 6.4
Adams County, IA
6.4 % low-access
- Allamakee 10.9
Allamakee County, IA
10.9 % low-access
- Appanoose
Appanoose County, IA
15.7 % low-access
- Audubon 7.4
Audubon County, IA
7.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 11 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 40,325 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 12,123 |
| Low-Access Share | 30.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,160 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 |
| Median Household Income | $62,928 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.8%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,955 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.4%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
About 11.4% of Des Moines County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 30.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,955 households here.
- 7.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Des Moines County
above the national share
1 of Des Moines County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.
A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.
An estimated 12,123 residents, roughly 30.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 3,160 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 5 tracts (45.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Des Moines County
Des Moines County has 40 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (63% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 25
- aj liquor inc, burlington
- b s mini mart inc, burlington
- casey's 4391, west burlington
- casey's 2346, burlington
- casey's general store 2019, west burlington
- casey's general store 2342, burlington
- casey's general store 3024, mediapolis
- casey's general store 3587, burlington
- caseys general store 1028, middletown
- circle k 4706603, burlington
- circle k 4706604, burlington
- fast lane, burlington
- fastland llc, burlington
- gas land, burlington
- highway 34 truckstop 2, west burlington
- hy-vee gas 5044, burlington
- jet stop south, burlington
- lightning liquor & smoke shop llc, burlington
- mk mini mart inc, west burlington
- mediapolis fast break 4, mediapolis
- murphy usa 6976, west burlington
- quik stop, burlington
- sherpa liquor & tobacco outlet, burlington
- sherpa liquor & tobacco outlet i, burlington
- westland fast break 1, west burlington
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollartree 6998, burlington
- dollar general 22306, burlington
- dollar general 2578, burlington
- dollar general 4691, burlington
- dollar general store 16432, mediapolis
- dollar tree 2769, west burlington
- walgreens 05044, burlington
- walgreens 9476, burlington
Super Store · 5
- fareway stores, inc. 009, burlington
- hy-vee food store 1042, burlington
- hy-vee food store 1044, burlington
- target stores t- 0860, west burlington
- walmart sc 797, west burlington
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- mepo foods, mediapolis
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 68068, burlington
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Iowa
Compare Des Moines County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Food access nationally, Iowa in context
Des Moines County sits inside Iowa (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Des Moines County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Des Moines County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Des Moines County? ▼
Is Des Moines County a food desert? ▼
What share of Des Moines County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.