PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Johnson County, MO

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Johnson 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).

33.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
6.4%
on SNAP
55K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

33.4% of Johnson County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
4.7%
households, no vehicle
11.8%
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 Johnson County's low-access share at 33.4%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 9 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 17,561 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,077 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 Johnson County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Johnson County's 33.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #715 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Johnson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Johnson 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 Johnson County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (22.2%) 5 tracts limited (55.6%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (22.2%) Adequate 22% Limited 56% Severe 22% Food-access tier distribution: Johnson County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Johnson 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 Johnson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)52,595
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population17,561
Low-Access Share33.4%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,077

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Johnson County
IndicatorValue
Population54,732
Median Household Income$67,272
Poverty Rate11.8%below the national average
SNAP Households1,344
SNAP Participation Rate6.4%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.7%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.1%
SNAP participation in Johnson County 6.4%

About 6.4% of Johnson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,344 households here.
  • 4.7% 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 Johnson County

above the national share

2 of Johnson County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.2% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 17,561 residents, roughly 33.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,077 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (22.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Johnson County

Johnson County has 46 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • break time 3165, warrensburg
  • break time convenience 3095, warrensburg
  • break time convenience 3140, holden
  • casey's 1949, knob noster
  • casey's 1114, warrensburg
  • casey's 1284, leeton
  • casey's general store 3887, warrensburg
  • caseys general store 1089, holden
  • corner store, warrensburg
  • discount smokes and liquor, holden
  • everyday discount, warrensburg
  • ez stop, warrensburg
  • hometown convenience store, chilhowee
  • kingsville fast stop, kingsville
  • knob noster cenex, knob noster
  • liquor land, centerview
  • minit mart 600575, warrensburg
  • murphy usa 7725, warrensburg
  • shell xpress, kingsville
  • skyhaven conoco, warrensburg
  • speed stop, warrensburg
  • speed stop 116, warrensburg
  • warrensburg shell, warrensburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 11307, warrensburg
  • cuttinup meat market, warrensburg
  • dollar general 4864, holden
  • dollar general 20084, warrensburg
  • dollar general 20983, leeton
  • dollar general 21327, kingsville
  • dollar general 2462, warrensburg
  • dollar general 2885, knob noster
  • dollar general 4547, warrensburg
  • dollar general store 17601, kingsville
  • dollar tree 4459, warrensburg
  • family dollar 12910, holden
  • tony's market & distribution, warrensburg
  • walgreens 1235, warrensburg

Super Store · 3

  • hy-vee 1845, warrensburg
  • walmart sc 61, warrensburg
  • yoss bros grocery, holden

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • alewel's country meats, warrensburg
  • cuttinup custom meat processing, llc, leeton

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's take n bake pizza mo-034, warrensburg

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • dutch valley warrensburg 1, warrensburg

Military Commissary · 1

  • whiteman afb commissary 2629, whiteman air force base

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 46070, warrensburg

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 Johnson County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Johnson 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 Johnson County has low food access? ▼
33.4% of residents in Johnson 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 Johnson County? ▼
6.4% of households in Johnson County receive SNAP, covering 1,344 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Johnson County? ▼
The poverty rate in Johnson County, MO is 11.8%, with a median household income of $67,272 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Johnson County a food desert? ▼
2 of Johnson County's 9 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 Johnson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.7% of households in Johnson 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.