PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Arkansas

Independence County, AR

Independence 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.

12.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
13.7%
on SNAP
38K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AR

The food-access picture

12.1% of Independence County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
6.5%
households, no vehicle
20.4%
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).

Independence County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 12.1% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,428 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,234 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 Independence County compares nationally

Independence County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 12.1% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,335).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Independence County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Independence 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 Independence County, AR USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (62.5%) 1 tracts limited (12.5%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 63% Limited 13% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Independence County, AR
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Independence County vs. other Arkansas counties

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

% 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 Independence County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)36,647
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,428
Low-Access Share12.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,234

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Independence County
IndicatorValue
Population38,175
Median Household Income$56,609
Poverty Rate20.4%above the national average
SNAP Households2,001
SNAP Participation Rate13.7%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.5%
SNAP participation in Independence County 13.7%

About 13.7% of Independence County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 12.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 13.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,001 households here.
  • 6.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Independence County

near the national share

2 of Independence County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 4,428 residents, roughly 12.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,234 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (62.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Independence County

Independence County has 38 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 16

  • 759 heber springs llc, southside
  • casey's 4203, southside
  • casey's general store 3647, batesville
  • central easy food mart, batesville
  • e-z mart 4316, newark
  • flowers bakery outlet 582, batesville
  • littlefieldexpress #14 914, batesville
  • littlefieldexpress #16 916, southside
  • littlefieldexpress #17 917, batesville
  • littlefieldexpress #7 907, cave city
  • littlefieldexpress #8 908, batesville
  • littlefieldexpress #9 909, batesville
  • murphy usa 7635, batesville
  • pfeiffer one stop, batesville
  • virk inc, pleasant plains
  • wildcat station, sulphur rock

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • dollar general 4420, batesville
  • dollar general 7116, newark
  • dollar general 765, batesville
  • dollar general 978, batesville
  • dollar general 14497, batesville
  • dollar general 20048, bateville
  • dollar general 21043, cushman
  • dollar general 24756, desha
  • dollar general 9276, pleasant plains
  • dollar general store 16909, batesville
  • dollar tree 1529, batesville
  • family dollar 13367, newark
  • family dollar 13739, pleasant plains
  • family dollar store 985, batesville
  • walgreens 12417, batesville

Super Store · 4

  • harps food store 143, batesville
  • harps food store 149, newark
  • kroger food store 687, batesville
  • walmart 119, batesville

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 41090, batesville
  • bill's cash saver 406, batesville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • la alegria mexican store, batesville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Arkansas

Arkansas County
47.0% low-access · 14.9% SNAP
Ashley County
21.8% low-access · 13.2% SNAP
Baxter County
16.4% low-access · 8.5% SNAP
Benton County
24.9% low-access · 3.9% SNAP
Boone County
20.9% low-access · 8.4% SNAP
Bradley County
23.8% low-access · 17.5% SNAP

Compare Independence County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →

Food access nationally, Arkansas in context

Independence County sits inside Arkansas (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 Independence County has low food access? ▼
12.1% of residents in Independence County, AR 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 Independence County? ▼
13.7% of households in Independence County receive SNAP, covering 2,001 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Independence County? ▼
The poverty rate in Independence County, AR is 20.4%, with a median household income of $56,609 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Independence County a food desert? ▼
2 of Independence 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 Independence County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.5% of households in Independence 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.