Signature · 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)
Iron County, MO
Iron County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 23.6% low-access.
- 23.6%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 18.3%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Iron County, MO
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 23.6% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.5 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 18.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Greene County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Iron County ranks #1,389 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #44 of 115 counties in MO (23.6% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,389
- national by low-access %
- #44
- in MO
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts) .
How Iron County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Iron County's 23.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 56% of them and ranked #1,389 most-affected nationwide.
Iron County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 4 of Iron 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.
Iron County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Missouri, not a full county-board reprint
- Mercer
Mercer 99.8%
99.8 % low-access
- Pike 24.7
Pike 24.7%
24.7 % low-access
- Iron 23.6
Iron 23.6%
23.6 % low-access
- Greene 23.5
Greene 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Audrain 22.6
Audrain 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Gentry 21.9
Gentry 21.9%
21.9 % low-access
- Mississippi 3
Mississippi 3%
3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 10,630 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,507 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.6%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,344 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,446 |
| Median Household Income | $48,850 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 705 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.3%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.5% |
SNAP retailers in Iron County
Iron County has 13 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 6 locations (46% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 13 authorized stores; Ironton holds 38% of them. 4 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Annapolis, Arcadia, Des Arc, Pilot Knob.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Ironton | 5 | 2 |
| Viburnum | 3 | 1 |
| Annapolis | 2 | none |
| Arcadia | 1 | none |
| Des Arc | 1 | none |
| Pilot Knob | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- cvs 11206, ironton
- dollar general 18822, pilot knob
- dollar general 19050, ironton
- dollar general 1249, viburnum
- dollar general store 16398, annapolis
- rubles meat market llc, arcadia
Convenience Store · 4
- casey's 1129, viburnum
- casey's 3086, ironton
- des arc corner store, des arc
- sherrills mini mart inc., annapolis
Supermarket · 2
- save-a-lot 45187, ironton
- town & country 2681, ironton
Large Grocery Store · 1
- g & w foods 2734, viburnum
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Missouri
One of 114 counties in Missouri, 6 are shown here.
Compare Iron County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Missouri among West North Central states
Missouri ranks 5th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Iron County, at 23.6%, runs 1.3 pts below the Missouri 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 Iron County, MO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 29093. 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.