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Signature · 44 SNAP-authorized stores

Knox County, IL

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

26.9%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
15.4%
on SNAP
49K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

USDA FARA access plate

County Knox County, IL

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

  • LA-ELEVATED 26.9% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +4.8 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 15.4% SNAP
  • VEH-TYPICAL 8.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: LaSalle County ( -0.4 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Knox County ranks #1,156 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #36 of 102 counties in IL (26.9% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).

#1,156
national by low-access %
#36
in IL
7
low-access tracts
5K
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: 44 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Knox County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Knox County's 26.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 63% of them and ranked #1,157 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Knox County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Knox County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (56.3%) 3 tracts limited (18.8%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 56% Limited 19% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Knox County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Knox County has 11 urban and 5 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.

Knox County low-access neighbourhood

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

% 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 Knox County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)52,919
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population14,213
Low-Access Share26.9%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,610

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Knox County
IndicatorValue
Population49,046
Median Household Income$57,030
Poverty Rate14.6%near the national average
SNAP Households3,235
SNAP Participation Rate15.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.6%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.1%

Thick SNAP store book in Knox County

Knox County has 44 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 22

  • beck's 18, galesburg
  • casey's 3416, galesburg
  • casey's general store 1477, wataga
  • casey's general store 1707, knoxville
  • casey's general store 1750, abingdon
  • casey's general store 2188, galesburg
  • circle k 4701222, galesburg
  • circle k 4701418, galesburg
  • galesburg conoco, galesburg
  • galesburg quick mart 1, galesburg
  • hy vee gas 2, galesburg
  • hy-vee gas 5215, galesburg
  • jp food & liquor, abingdon
  • knoxville mobil, knoxville
  • lincolnusallc, galesburg
  • loves travel stop 685, galesburg
  • maquon miracle mart, maquon
  • quick sams, galesburg
  • quick stop, yates city
  • save more super market, galesburg
  • shiv ganga inc, galesburg
  • thorntons 349, galesburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • dollar general 2259, galesburg
  • dollar general 4851, galesburg
  • dollar general 6258, knoxville
  • dollar general 9386, abingdon
  • dollar tree 3086, galesburg
  • dollar general 23612, oneida
  • dollar general 25209, abingdon
  • family dollar 13927, abingdon
  • walgreens #7216 07216, galesburg
  • walgreens 04504, galesburg

Super Store · 4

  • hy-vee foods, galesburg
  • hy-vee foods 1216, galesburg
  • target store 891, galesburg
  • walmart supercenter 775, galesburg

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • arlette asian-african foods 2, galesburg
  • cornucopia ntrl food & fine chees, galesburg
  • ladds food mart, williamsfield

Farmers' Market · 2

  • galesburg farmers' market, galesburg
  • knoxville farmers market, knoxville

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 68002 68002, galesburg
  • hi-lo grocery #3, abingdon

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • high low grocery, galesburg

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

Other Counties in Illinois

One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Knox County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Nationwide peers for Knox County's low-access or SNAP share

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IL (26.9% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (15.4% 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.

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Knox County sits inside Illinois (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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 Knox County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17095. 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.