Signature · 8.6% low-access (17th pct)

Hardin County, IA

Hardin County lands in the lower national band on low-access (8.6%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

8.6%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
8.4%
on SNAP
17K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IA

USDA FARA access plate

County Hardin County, IA

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

  • LA-MODERATE 8.6% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -13.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 8.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.3% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

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

Lower-band low-access

Hardin County lands in the lower national band (8.6%, #2,588 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,588
national by low-access %
#82
in IA
2
low-access tracts
420
food-desert residents

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

Signature read: 8.6% low-access (17th pct) (-13.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Hardin County compares nationally

Hardin County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.6% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,597).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hardin County's lower-band USDA tier split

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Hardin County, IA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (66.7%) 2 tracts limited (33.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 33% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Hardin County, IA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Hardin County has 2 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.

Hardin 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 Hardin County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)17,534
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,504
Low-Access Share8.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population420

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hardin County
IndicatorValue
Population16,639
Median Household Income$65,069
Poverty Rate9.7%below the national average
SNAP Households588
SNAP Participation Rate8.4%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.0%

SNAP retailers in Hardin County

Hardin County has 22 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 10 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 10

  • casey's general store 1417, iowa falls
  • casey's general store 1455, hubbard
  • casey's general store 1793, iowa falls
  • casey's general store 1921, ackley
  • casey's general store 2532, eldora
  • casey's general store 3027, iowa falls
  • caseys general store 20, alden
  • comart convenience store, radcliffe
  • goodstop by casey's 4313, eldora
  • kwik star 103, iowa falls

Combination Grocery/Other · 5

  • dollar general 18911, ackley
  • dollar general 2358, iowa falls
  • dollar general 25679, hubbard
  • dollar general 6690, eldora
  • dollar tree 7303, iowa falls

Super Store · 5

  • fareway stores, inc. 559, iowa falls
  • fareway stores, inc. 882, eldora
  • hy-vee food store 1161, eldora
  • hy-vee food store 1295, iowa falls
  • walmart 1546, iowa falls

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • hometown foods, hubbard

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • la flor mexican store 1, iowa falls

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 Hardin County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →

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

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Hardin 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 (8.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (8.4% 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.

Hardin County inside a lower low-access state context

Hardin 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 Hardin County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19083. 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.