Signature · 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)
Forest County, WI
Forest County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 38.1% low-access.
- 38.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 15.0%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Forest County, WI
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 38.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +16.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Rusk County ( -0.7 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Forest County sits in the upper national band (38.1%, #476 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #476
- national by low-access %
- #3
- in WI
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts) .
How Forest County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Forest County's 38.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #476 most-affected nationwide.
Forest County's elevated USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 4 of Forest County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Forest County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Waukesha
Waukesha 41.2%
41.2 % low-access
- Forest
Forest 38.1%
38.1 % low-access
- Rusk
Rusk 37.4%
37.4 % low-access
- Winnebago
Winnebago 37%
37 % low-access
- Rock
Rock 35.3%
35.3 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,304 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,548 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,159 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,369 |
| Median Household Income | $61,071 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 599 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
SNAP retailers in Forest County
Forest County has 11 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (45% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 11 authorized stores; Crandon holds 45% of them. 3 of the 4 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Armstrong Creek, Laona, Wabeno.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Crandon | 5 | 1 |
| Armstrong Creek | 2 | none |
| Laona | 2 | none |
| Wabeno | 2 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 9959, crandon
- dollar general 23174, wabeno
- dollar general 30082, armstrong creek
- family dollar 13371, crandon
- family dollar store 7095, laona
Convenience Store · 5
- krist food mart 050, crandon
- krist food mart 077, wabeno
- sokaogon chippewa convenience store, crandon
- the corner store, armstrong creek
- true north energy 864, laona
Super Store · 1
- schaefers food mart, crandon
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare Forest County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Wisconsin among East North Central states
Wisconsin ranks 4th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.4%). Forest County, at 38.1%, runs 16.7 pts above the Wisconsin rate.
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 Forest County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55041. 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.