Signature · 4.8% SNAP (22nd pct in NE)
Hamilton County, NE
Hamilton County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 17.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 4.8%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hamilton County, NE
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 17.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.8 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 4.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 1.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lancaster County ( -0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Hamilton County ranks #1,925 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #70 of 93 counties in NE (17.3% low-access).
- #1,925
- national by low-access %
- #70
- in NE
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 250
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 4.8% SNAP (22nd pct in NE) (-7.3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Hamilton County compares nationally
Hamilton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.3% low-access share that beats 38% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,925).
Hamilton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Hamilton County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (2 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Hamilton County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Nebraska, not a full county-board reprint
- Thomas
Thomas 100%
100 % low-access
- Cass 18.4
Cass 18.4%
18.4 % low-access
- Cedar 18.3
Cedar 18.3%
18.3 % low-access
- Pawnee 18.1
Pawnee 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Hamilton 17.3
Hamilton 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
- Lancaster 17
Lancaster 17%
17 % low-access
- Burt 0.7
Burt 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,124 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,580 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 250 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,464 |
| Median Household Income | $83,994 |
| Poverty Rate | 5.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 175 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 1.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
SNAP retailers in Hamilton County
Hamilton County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Aurora holds 86% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Doniphan.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | 6 | 1 |
| Doniphan | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 4
- casey's general store 3085, aurora
- loves travel stop 309, aurora
- pump & pantry 18, doniphan
- pump & pantry 7, aurora
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 21628, aurora
- dollar tree 9656, aurora
Super Store · 1
- jims foodmart, aurora
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Nebraska
One of 92 counties in Nebraska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Hamilton County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Nebraska among West North Central states
Nebraska ranks 6th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.9%). Hamilton County, at 17.3%, runs 4.6 pts below the Nebraska rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Hamilton County, NE are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 31081. 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.