Signature · 38.2% low-access (85th pct)

Kay County, OK

Kay County sits in the upper national band on low-access (38.2%, +16.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.

38.2%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
17.2%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OK

USDA FARA access plate

County Kay County, OK

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 38.2% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +16.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 17.2% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.0% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 27% tracts LILA

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

Upper-band low-access

Kay County sits in the upper national band (38.2%, #474 of 3,079) with 3 LILA tracts.

#474
national by low-access %
#17
in OK
8
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents

Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.

Signature read: 38.2% low-access (85th pct) (+16.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Kay County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Kay County's 38.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #475 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Kay County's elevated USDA tier split

11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Kay County, OK USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (27.3%) 5 tracts limited (45.5%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (27.3%) Adequate 27% Limited 45% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Kay County, OK
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Kay County has 9 urban and 2 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.

Kay County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Oklahoma, not a full county-board reprint

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

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Kay County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,562
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population17,781
Low-Access Share38.2%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,106

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Kay County
IndicatorValue
Population43,625
Median Household Income$58,423
Poverty Rate16.0%above the national average
SNAP Households2,880
SNAP Participation Rate17.2%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.0%

Thick SNAP store book in Kay County

Kay County has 52 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • blackwell one stop 3, blackwell
  • casey's 3787, blackwell
  • casey's general store 3681, ponca city
  • jiffy trip 142, newkirk
  • jiffy trip 327, tonkawa
  • jiffy trip 450, ponca city
  • love's travel stops & country stores inc 213, tonkawa
  • murphy usa 6607, ponca city
  • new point store, newkirk
  • oncue express 16, ponca city
  • oncue express 17, ponca city
  • pilot travel center 1004, tonkawa
  • red pipe 165, tonkawa
  • shepherd's food mart, blackwell
  • shepherd's food mart #400, blackwell
  • short stop 1 3, ponca city
  • short stop 2 4, ponca city
  • short stop 3 5, blackwell
  • short stop no.4 6, ponca city
  • southwind express, llc, kaw city
  • triple t #5, ponca city
  • ta express tonkawa, tonkawa
  • tonkawa smoke shop, tonkawa
  • triple t #4, ponca city
  • triple t #6, ponca city
  • woodridge market, ponca city

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • braum's 10, ponca city
  • braum's 21, blackwell
  • dollar general 3248, ponca city
  • dollar general 3719, blackwell
  • dollar general 4568, ponca city
  • dollar general 4816, ponca city
  • dollar general 7779, tonkawa
  • dollar general 8170, newkirk
  • dollartree 8316, blackwell
  • dollar general 22100, ponca city
  • dollar general 22721, kaw city
  • dollar general 25580, ponca city
  • dollar tree 1180, ponca city
  • rikkis market, ponca city
  • walgreens 7698, ponca city

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 46025 46025, ponca city
  • homeland 460, ponca city
  • homeland 468, ponca city
  • ponca city discount foods 419, ponca city
  • united supermarket 378, blackwell
  • venture foods, tonkawa

Super Store · 3

  • harps food store 485, newkirk
  • walmart store 136, blackwell
  • walmart supercenter 823, ponca city

Farmers' Market · 1

  • barney family farms llc, newkirk

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • osage country meat market, ponca city

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Oklahoma

One of 76 counties in Oklahoma, 6 are shown here.

Compare Kay County vs Adair County → · All Oklahoma counties →

Counties near Kay County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Kay County, both outside Oklahoma so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside OK (38.2% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside OK (17.2% 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.

Kay County inside a higher low-access state context

Kay County sits inside Oklahoma (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 Kay County, OK are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 40071. 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.