Signature · 62 SNAP-authorized stores

Douglas County, KS

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Douglas 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.
5
food-desert tracts
5.3%
on SNAP
120K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KS

USDA FARA access plate

County Douglas County, KS

LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 22.1% low-access
  • PHOTO-FINISH +0.0 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 5 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 5.3% SNAP
  • VEH-TYPICAL 7.5% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 23% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Graham County (+ 0.1 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Douglas County ranks #1,522 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #73 of 105 counties in KS (22.1% low-access; 5 food-desert tracts).

#1,522
national by low-access %
#73
in KS
11
low-access tracts
6K
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: 62 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Douglas County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Douglas County's 22.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,524 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Douglas County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

22 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 5 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Douglas County, KS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 6 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 22 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (50.0%) 6 tracts limited (27.3%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (22.7%) Adequate 50% Limited 27% Severe 23% Food-access tier distribution: Douglas County, KS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Douglas County has 19 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.

Douglas County low-access neighbourhood

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

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Douglas County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts22
Atlas Population (2010 basis)110,826
Low-Access Tracts11
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population24,438
Low-Access Share22.1%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,969

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Douglas County
IndicatorValue
Population120,302
Median Household Income$69,746
Poverty Rate14.7%near the national average
SNAP Households2,652
SNAP Participation Rate5.3%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.5%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.2%

Thick SNAP store book in Douglas County

Douglas County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • casey's 3838, lawrence
  • casey's general store 3937, baldwin city
  • casey's general store 3939, lawrence
  • casey's 3882, lawrence
  • casey's 3967, eudora
  • commerce plaza 44, lawrence
  • cosmos indian store, lawrence
  • family mart, lawrence
  • fast track, lawrence
  • goodstop by casey's 5078, lawrence
  • hy-vee gas #2 3379, lawrence
  • hy-vee gas 5377, lawrence
  • jayhawk food mart, lawrence
  • joe's kwik marts 4008, lawrence
  • joe's kwik marts 4010, lawrence
  • joe's kwik marts 4011, lawrence
  • kwik shop 350718, lawrence
  • kwik shop 350721, lawrence
  • kwik shop 350784, lawrence
  • kwik shop 350702, lawrence
  • kwik shop 350752, baldwin city
  • kwik shop 350798, lawrence
  • kwik shop inc 350783, eudora
  • kwik shop inc 350785, lawrence
  • love's country store 2, lawrence
  • miller mart, lawrence
  • quiktrip 167, lawrence
  • quiktrip 268, lawrence
  • satyram, lawrence

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • cvs pharmacy 3212, lawrence
  • cvs pharmacy 676, lawrence
  • dollar general 12290, lawrence
  • dollar general 17306, lawrence
  • dollar general 30481, lawrence
  • dollar general 8315, baldwin city
  • dollar general 9082, lawrence
  • dollar tree 3088, lawrence
  • family dollar 8886, eudora
  • walgreens 03055, lawrence
  • walgreens 03056, lawrence
  • yoder meats 6, lawrence

Super Store · 11

  • checkers, lawrence
  • dillon store 019, lawrence
  • dillon store 068, lawrence
  • dillon store 070, lawrence
  • dillons 170, lawrence
  • dillons store 98, lawrence
  • hy-vee food & drugstore 1377, lawrence
  • target stores t- 0531, lawrence
  • the merc co+op 01, lawrence
  • walmart 0484, lawrence
  • walmart sc 5219, lawrence

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 46086, lawrence
  • baldwin city market inc, baldwin city
  • genes heartland foods 714, eudora
  • natural grocers by vitamin cottage u051, lawrence
  • sprouts farmers market 173, lawrence

Farmers' Market · 2

  • cottins hardware farmers market, lawrence
  • lawrence farmers market, lawrence

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • african caribbean grocery & gifts, lawrence
  • jody's market, lawrence

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's pizza ks-051, lawrence

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Kansas

One of 104 counties in Kansas, 6 are shown here.

Compare Douglas County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →

Nationwide peers for Douglas County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Douglas County, both outside Kansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside KS (22.1% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside KS (5.3% 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.

Food access nationally, Kansas in context

Douglas County sits inside Kansas (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 Douglas County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20045. 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.