PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Nebraska

Hall County, NE

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

27.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
10.4%
on SNAP
63K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NE

The food-access picture

27.1% of Hall County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.6%
households, no vehicle
14.1%
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 Hall County's low-access share at 27.1%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 14 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 15,866 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,124 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 Hall County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hall County's 27.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,142 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hall County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 14 census tracts in Hall 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 Hall County, NE USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 6 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 14 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (42.9%) 6 tracts limited (42.9%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 43% Limited 43% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Hall County, NE
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hall County vs. other Nebraska counties

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

% 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 Hall County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts14
Atlas Population (2010 basis)58,607
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population15,866
Low-Access Share27.1%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,124

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hall County
IndicatorValue
Population62,536
Median Household Income$69,251
Poverty Rate14.1%near the national average
SNAP Households2,556
SNAP Participation Rate10.4%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%
SNAP participation in Hall County 10.4%

About 10.4% of Hall County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 27.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,556 households here.
  • 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 tracts 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 Hall County

above the national share

2 of Hall County's 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.

A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 15,866 residents, roughly 27.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,124 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hall County

Hall County has 53 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 24 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 24

  • bosselman travel centers inc., grand island
  • casey's general store 1768, grand island
  • casey's general store 2606, wood river
  • casey's general store 2732, grand island
  • casey's general store 2737, grand island
  • casey's general store 2742, grand island
  • casey's general store 2882, grand island
  • casey's general store 2883, grand island
  • casey's general store 2903, grand island
  • git n split 72, grand island
  • hy-vee gas 5221, grand island
  • pilot travel center 912, wood river
  • pump & pantry 1, grand island
  • pump & pantry 11, grand island
  • pump & pantry 15, grand island
  • pump & pantry 2, grand island
  • pump & pantry 3, grand island
  • pump & pantry 4, cairo
  • pump & pantry 42, grand island
  • pump & pantry 52, grand island
  • pump & pantry 54, grand island
  • pump & pantry 6, grand island
  • pump & pantry 8, grand island
  • ta grand island 193, alda

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • 88 oriental market, grand island
  • cvs 10243, grand island
  • dollartree 8984, grand island
  • dollar general 17750, wood river
  • dollar general 22404, doniphan
  • dollar general 5860, grand island
  • dollar tree 2319, grand island
  • walgreens 03467, grand island
  • walgreens 12538, grand island
  • xoyita market y taqueria llc, grand island

Medium Grocery Store · 8

  • african mart 1, grand island
  • azteca market, grand island
  • la flor, grand island
  • la mexicana market, grand island
  • monaia market llc, grand island
  • sanchez plaza, grand island
  • souad grocery and coffee shop grocery, grand island
  • vientiane oriental market, grand island

Super Store · 5

  • hy-vee food store 1221, grand island
  • sam's club 6461, grand island
  • target store t2918, grand island
  • walmart sc 1326, grand island
  • walmart sc 3395, grand island

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • daily discounts, grand island
  • el quetzal bakery 1, grand island
  • la ranchera, grand island
  • two brothers inc., grand island

Supermarket · 2

  • super saver 19, grand island
  • super saver 28, grand island

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Nebraska

Adams County
35.0% low-access · 9.1% SNAP
Antelope County
12.9% low-access · 4.7% SNAP
Arthur County
100.0% low-access · 5.9% SNAP
Banner County
98.5% low-access · 1.3% SNAP
Blaine County
100.0% low-access
Boone County
12.3% low-access · 3.9% SNAP

Compare Hall County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →

Food access nationally, Nebraska in context

Hall County sits inside Nebraska (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; 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

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Hall County has low food access? ▼
27.1% of residents in Hall County, NE 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 Hall County? ▼
10.4% of households in Hall County receive SNAP, covering 2,556 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hall County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hall County, NE is 14.1%, with a median household income of $69,251 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hall County a food desert? ▼
2 of Hall County's 14 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 Hall County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.6% of households in Hall 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.