Signature · 33.1% low-access (77th pct)
Hand County, SD
Hand County sits in the upper national band on low-access (33.1%, +11 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 33.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 3.8%
- on SNAP
- 3K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hand County, SD
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 33.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +11.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 3.8% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clay County (+ 0.2 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Hand County sits in the upper national band (33.1%, #729 of 3,079).
- #729
- national by low-access %
- #36
- in SD
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 313
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 33.1% low-access (77th pct) (+11 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Hand County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hand County's 33.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #729 most-affected nationwide.
Hand County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Hand County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Hand County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in South Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Jones
Jones 100%
100 % low-access
- Clay 33.3
Clay 33.3%
33.3 % low-access
- Hand 33.1
Hand 33.1%
33.1 % low-access
- Walworth 32.9
Walworth 32.9%
32.9 % low-access
- Pennington 32.8
Pennington 32.8%
32.8 % low-access
- Davison 32.7
Davison 32.7%
32.7 % low-access
- Oglala Lakota 0
Oglala Lakota 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 3,431 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,136 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 313 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,140 |
| Median Household Income | $74,635 |
| Poverty Rate | 5.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 54 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
Slim SNAP store book in Hand County
Hand County has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 2 locations (67% of the total), followed by super store.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 3 authorized stores are in Miller, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 16295, miller
- family dollar 13544, miller
Super Store · 1
- kessler's 2101, miller
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in South Dakota
One of 65 counties in South Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Hand County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
South Dakota among West North Central states
South Dakota ranks 1st of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (29.1%). Hand County, at 33.1%, runs 4.0 pts above the South Dakota 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 Hand County, SD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 46059. 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.