Signature · 3 LILA tracts (75% of tracts)
Koochiching County, MN
Koochiching County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (75% of the book) alongside 39.9% low-access.
- 39.9%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 14.4%
- on SNAP
- 12K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Koochiching County, MN
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 39.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +17.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.4% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 75% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Kandiyohi County ( -0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Koochiching County sits in the upper national band (39.9%, #399 of 3,079) with 3 LILA tracts.
- #399
- national by low-access %
- #10
- in MN
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 3 LILA tracts (75% of tracts) .
How Koochiching County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Koochiching County's 39.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 87% of them and ranked #399 most-affected nationwide.
Koochiching County's elevated USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
Koochiching County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (2 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Koochiching County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Minnesota, not a full county-board reprint
- Red Lake
Red Lake 99.2%
99.2 % low-access
- Waseca
Waseca 40.6%
40.6 % low-access
- Lyon
Lyon 40.1%
40.1 % low-access
- Koochiching
Koochiching 39.9%
39.9 % low-access
- Kandiyohi
Kandiyohi 39.8%
39.8 % low-access
- Clearwater 39.2
Clearwater 39.2%
39.2 % low-access
- Fillmore 2.7
Fillmore 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 13,311 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,315 |
| Low-Access Share | 39.9%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,846 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 11,833 |
| Median Household Income | $66,940 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.9%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 847 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.9%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
SNAP retailers in Koochiching County
Koochiching County has 12 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (25% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 12 authorized stores; International Falls holds 67% of them. 1 of the 4 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Big Falls.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| International Falls | 8 | 3 |
| Littlefork | 2 | 1 |
| Big Falls | 1 | none |
| Northome | 1 | 1 |
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 15619, international falls
- dollar tree 3694, international falls
- family dollar 10058, international falls
Convenience Store · 3
- circle k 2746509, international falls
- lucky seven 46, international falls
- r store inc, littlefork
Supermarket · 3
- international falls country market 574, international falls
- super one foods 578, international falls
- super one foods 579, international falls
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- j & d family foods, littlefork
- northome grocery llc, northome
Small Grocery Store · 1
- northwoods lb foods, big falls
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Minnesota
One of 86 counties in Minnesota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Koochiching County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →
Counties near Koochiching County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Koochiching County, both outside Minnesota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MN (39.9% here).
- Wasco County, OR · 40.0% low-access
- Clarke County, GA · 40.0% low-access
- Santa Rosa County, FL · 39.8% low-access
- Wetzel County, WV · 39.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MN (14.4% here).
- Mecosta County, MI · 14.4% SNAP
- Douglas County, MO · 14.4% SNAP
- Chenango County, NY · 14.4% SNAP
- New York County, NY · 14.4% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Minnesota among West North Central states
Minnesota ranks 3rd of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (27.4%). Koochiching County, at 39.9%, runs 12.5 pts above the Minnesota 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 Koochiching County, MN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 27071. 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.