PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Howell County, MO

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Howell County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

20.4%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
14.0%
on SNAP
40K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

20.4% of Howell County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.1%
households, no vehicle
20.3%
below poverty line

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, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts Howell County's low-access share at 20.4%, above the national share. 4 of the county's 8 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 8,261 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,207 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How Howell County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Howell County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,657 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Howell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Howell County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Howell County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (50.0%) 1 tracts limited (12.5%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (37.5%) Adequate 50% Limited 13% Severe 38% Food-access tier distribution: Howell County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Howell County vs. other Missouri counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Howell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)40,400
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population8,261
Low-Access Share20.4%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,207

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Howell County
IndicatorValue
Population40,383
Median Household Income$50,993
Poverty Rate20.3%above the national average
SNAP Households2,232
SNAP Participation Rate14.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.8%
SNAP participation in Howell County 14.0%

About 14.0% of Howell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 20.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,232 households here.
  • 6.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Howell County

above the national share

3 of Howell County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 37.5% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 8,261 residents, roughly 20.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,207 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Howell County

Howell County has 59 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • 4 corners general store, pottersville
  • alligator express no, west plains
  • barkers hilltop package store llc, west plains
  • casey's 1403, willow springs
  • casey's 1531, west plains
  • casey's 1715, west plains
  • casey's 2032, mountain view
  • casey's 2860, west plains
  • casey's general store 3260, west plains
  • get and go safe llc 1, west plains
  • jb's health mart, west plains
  • jordans kwik stop 84, west plains
  • love's travel stop 783, willow springs
  • meadowbrook natural foods wp, west plains
  • murphy usa 5784, west plains
  • signal 108, mountain view
  • smart mart llc, west plains
  • snappy east, west plains
  • snappy mart 11, west plains
  • snappy mart 18w llc, willow springs
  • snappy mart 49 llc, west plains
  • snappy mart 9, west plains
  • star mart, pomona
  • sunshine market & natural food, mountain view
  • the anchor c-store llc, mountain view
  • the kountry korner store, moody
  • the saba shop, west plains
  • west plains quick stop #1, pomona
  • west plains quick stop #2, west plains
  • west plains quick stop conoco, pomona
  • white oak station 226, caulfield

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • cvs pharmacy cvs11407, west plains
  • dollar general 14060, caulfield
  • dollar general 1253, west plains
  • dollar general 14939, west plains
  • dollar general 17304, pomona
  • dollar general 31203, west plains
  • dollar general 3677, mountain view
  • dollar general 7163, willow springs
  • dollar general 7371, west plains
  • dollar general store 18296, west plains
  • dollar tree 3534, west plains
  • family dollar 1194, west plains
  • walgreens 11288, west plains

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 41002 41002, west plains
  • apple market 2445, mountain view
  • ramey 9, west plains
  • town & country 2417, willow springs

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3

  • barnett's meat processing, west plains
  • dennis' specialty cuts, west plains
  • mason's midwest meats, west plains

Super Store · 3

  • 10 box cost-plus 363, west plains
  • walmart 871, mountain view
  • walmart sc 15, west plains

Farmers' Market · 2

  • ozark farmers agricultural cooperative, west plains
  • west plains farmers and artisans market nafmnp, west plains

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • g & w foods 2729, willow springs
  • the truck patch 3, west plains

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • jeannies bargains, mountain view

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Adair County
27.3% low-access · 9.0% SNAP
Andrew County
15.8% low-access · 4.9% SNAP
Atchison County
5.1% low-access · 5.8% SNAP
Audrain County
22.6% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Barry County
19.7% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Barton County
56.5% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Howell County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Howell County sits inside Missouri (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Howell County has low food access? ▼
20.4% of residents in Howell County, MO live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Howell County? ▼
14.0% of households in Howell County receive SNAP, covering 2,232 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Howell County? ▼
The poverty rate in Howell County, MO is 20.3%, with a median household income of $50,993 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Howell County a food desert? ▼
3 of Howell County's 8 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Howell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.1% of households in Howell County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

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.