Signature · 10.0% low-access (21st pct)

Hamilton County, IA

Hamilton County lands in the lower national band on low-access (10.0%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

10.0%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
8.0%
on SNAP
15K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IA

USDA FARA access plate

County Hamilton County, IA

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-MODERATE 10.0% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -12.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 8.0% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.7% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Bremer County (+ 0.0 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Hamilton County lands in the lower national band (10.0%, #2,480 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,480
national by low-access %
#75
in IA
2
low-access tracts
428
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 10.0% low-access (21st pct) (-12.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Hamilton County compares nationally

Hamilton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.0% low-access share that beats 21% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,484).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hamilton County's lower-band USDA tier split

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Hamilton County, IA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts limited (40.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 40% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Hamilton County, IA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Hamilton County has 1 urban and 4 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.

Hamilton County vs nearby low 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 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Hamilton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)15,673
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,568
Low-Access Share10.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population428

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hamilton County
IndicatorValue
Population14,886
Median Household Income$72,432
Poverty Rate7.4%well below the national average
SNAP Households517
SNAP Participation Rate8.0%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.7%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%

SNAP retailers in Hamilton County

Hamilton County has 21 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (62% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 13

  • casey's general store 1828, webster city
  • casey's general store 2300, jewell
  • casey's general store 3054, webster city
  • kwik star 1700, webster city
  • kwik star 924, webster city
  • love's travel stop 684, ellsworth
  • maverik 5069, ellsworth
  • pilot travel center 572, williams
  • sparky's one stop 09, stanhope
  • stratford country store llc 1, stratford
  • webster city fast and fresh 1875, webster city
  • yesway 10018, webster city
  • yesway 10021, webster city

Combination Grocery/Other · 2

  • dollar general 2421, webster city
  • dollar tree 7605, webster city

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • el mercadito tienda mexicana, webster city
  • stratford food center llc, stratford

Super Store · 2

  • fareway stores, inc. 395, webster city
  • hy-vee food store 1875, webster city

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • jewell market, jewell

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • la perla jarocha, webster city

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.

Compare Hamilton County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →

Counties near Hamilton County's lower low-access or SNAP band

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IA (10.0% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (8.0% 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.

Hamilton County inside a lower low-access state context

Hamilton County sits inside Iowa (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 Hamilton County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19079. 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.