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Signature · 11.4% SNAP (84th pct in IA)

Des Moines County, IA

Des Moines County stands out on SNAP (11.4%, -0.7 pts vs U.S.) with 30.1% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.

30.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
11.4%
on SNAP
38K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IA

USDA FARA access plate

County Des Moines County, IA

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-THIN

  • LA-ELEVATED 30.1% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +8.0 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 11.4% SNAP
  • VEH-TYPICAL 7.3% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-THIN 9% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Calhoun County ( -0.2 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Des Moines County sits in the upper national band (30.1%, #923 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.

#923
national by low-access %
#10
in IA
6
low-access tracts
3K
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: 11.4% SNAP (84th pct in IA) (-0.7 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

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.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Des Moines County's elevated USDA tier split

11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Des Moines County, IA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (45.5%) 5 tracts limited (45.5%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 45% Limited 45% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: Des Moines County, IA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Des Moines County has 8 urban and 3 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.

Des Moines County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Des Moines County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)40,325
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population12,123
Low-Access Share30.1%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,160

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Des Moines County
IndicatorValue
Population38,487
Median Household Income$62,928
Poverty Rate12.8%near the national average
SNAP Households1,955
SNAP Participation Rate11.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.7%

Thick SNAP store book 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 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.

Adair County
8.0% low-access · 9.8% SNAP
Adams County
6.4% low-access · 9.5% SNAP
Allamakee County
10.9% low-access · 8.3% SNAP
Appanoose County
15.7% low-access · 13.3% SNAP
Audubon County
7.4% low-access · 8.4% SNAP
Benton County
17.0% low-access · 4.8% SNAP

Compare Des Moines County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →

Counties near Des Moines County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

SNAP-led peer set first for Des Moines County (11.4%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Iowa.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IA (30.1% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (11.4% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Des Moines County inside a higher low-access state context

Des Moines County sits inside Iowa (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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 Des Moines County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19057. 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.