Signature · 13.7% low-access (29th pct)
Hamilton County, IL
Hamilton County lands in the lower national band on low-access (13.7%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 13.7%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 15.2%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hamilton County, IL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 13.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -8.4 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Menard County ( -0.3 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Hamilton County lands in the lower national band (13.7%, #2,221 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,221
- national by low-access %
- #77
- in IL
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 286
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 13.7% low-access (29th pct) (-8.4 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Hamilton County compares nationally
Hamilton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.7% low-access share that beats 29% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,224).
Hamilton County's lower-band USDA tier split
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Hamilton County has 1 urban and 2 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 Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Ogle 14.3
Ogle 14.3%
14.3 % low-access
- Randolph 14.3
Randolph 14.3%
14.3 % low-access
- Hamilton 13.7
Hamilton 13.7%
13.7 % low-access
- Menard 13.4
Menard 13.4%
13.4 % low-access
- Marshall 13.2
Marshall 13.2%
13.2 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,457 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,162 |
| Low-Access Share | 13.7%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 286 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,916 |
| Median Household Income | $65,746 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 516 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
SNAP retailers in Hamilton County
Hamilton County has 6 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (50% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 1105, mcleansboro
- dollar general 21072, dahlgren
- family dollar 12571, mcleansboro
Convenience Store · 1
- huck's 130, mc leansboro
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- kg's fruit & vegetable mkt, mcleansboro
Supermarket · 1
- food park, mcleansboro
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Hamilton County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Hamilton County inside a lower low-access state context
Hamilton County sits inside Illinois (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, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17065. 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.