County food-access profile · Missouri

Grundy County, MO

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Grundy 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).

33.4%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
11.7%
on SNAP
10K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

33.4% of Grundy County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
11.3%
households, no vehicle
17.6%
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 Grundy County's low-access share at 33.4%, above the national share. 4 of the county's 4 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 3,432 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,405 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 Grundy County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Grundy County's 33.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #715 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Grundy County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 4 census tracts in Grundy County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Grundy County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 0 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts limited (75.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 0% Limited 75% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Grundy County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Grundy County vs. other Missouri counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri

% 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 Grundy County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)10,261
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,432
Low-Access Share33.4%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,405

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Grundy County
IndicatorValue
Population9,787
Median Household Income$51,975
Poverty Rate17.6%above the national average
SNAP Households458
SNAP Participation Rate11.7%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle11.3%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.1%
SNAP participation in Grundy County 11.7%

About 11.7% of Grundy County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 458 households here.
  • 11.3% 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 Grundy County

above the national share

1 of Grundy County's 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 3,432 residents, roughly 33.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,405 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

SNAP retailers in Grundy County

Grundy County has 11 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 4 locations (36% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 4

  • dollar general 1247, trenton
  • dollar general 20088, trenton
  • dollar general 25633, trenton
  • dollar tree 6690, trenton

Convenience Store · 4

  • casey's 1116, trenton
  • casey's 2008, trenton
  • dunkins liquidation and bargain store, trenton
  • xpress mart, trenton

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • hostetler's market llc, trenton

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • galt grocery and spirits, galt

Super Store · 1

  • hy-vee food store 1667, trenton

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Compare Grundy County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Grundy County sits inside Missouri (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 Grundy County has low food access?
33.4% of residents in Grundy County, MO live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Grundy County?
11.7% of households in Grundy County receive SNAP, covering 458 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Grundy County?
The poverty rate in Grundy County, MO is 17.6%, with a median household income of $51,975 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Grundy County a food desert?
1 of Grundy County's 4 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Grundy County households lack a vehicle?
11.3% of households in Grundy County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.