PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Lafayette County, MO

Lafayette County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

19.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
9.4%
on SNAP
33K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

19.5% of Lafayette County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
3.3%
households, no vehicle
9.3%
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).

Lafayette County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.5% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,496 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,275 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 Lafayette County compares nationally

Lafayette County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.5% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,727).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lafayette County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (71.4%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 71% Limited 14% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Lafayette County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lafayette 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 Lafayette County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)33,381
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population6,496
Low-Access Share19.5%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,275

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lafayette County
IndicatorValue
Population33,115
Median Household Income$80,612
Poverty Rate9.3%below the national average
SNAP Households1,177
SNAP Participation Rate9.4%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.0%
SNAP participation in Lafayette County 9.4%

About 9.4% of Lafayette County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 9.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,177 households here.
  • 3.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Lafayette County

near the national share

1 of Lafayette County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.

An estimated 6,496 residents, roughly 19.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,275 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (71.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lafayette County

Lafayette County has 35 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 21 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 21

  • 7th heaven, higginsville
  • break time 3054, lexington
  • break time convenience 3036, higginsville
  • casey's 1033, lexington
  • casey's 1099, waverly
  • casey's 2407, higginsville
  • casey's 2888, higginsville
  • casey's 2909, odessa
  • casey's general store 3489, concordia
  • concordia eagle stop 27, concordia
  • jp mart llc, odessa
  • love's travel stop 809, bates city
  • o & g, bates city
  • odessa grocery mart, odessa
  • odessa xpress mart, odessa
  • phillips 66- lexington, lexington
  • pilot travel center 443, higginsville
  • ricky store llc, higginsville
  • the gas stop 1005, alma
  • valero food mart, odessa
  • whistle stop 66, odessa

Combination Grocery/Other · 11

  • bratchers market 174, concordia
  • cvs/pharmacy 11312, lexington
  • cvs/pharmacy 11313, odessa
  • dollar general 20835, waverly
  • dollar general 23606, higginsville
  • dollar general 23690, odessa
  • dollar general 2850, concordia
  • dollar general 896, lexington
  • dollar general 9148, odessa
  • dollar tree 8372, higginsville
  • family dollar 12686, lexington

Super Store · 2

  • mooses market 781, higginsville
  • walmart 326, higginsville

Supermarket · 1

  • brothers market 772, lexington

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 Lafayette County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Lafayette 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 Lafayette County has low food access? ▼
19.5% of residents in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County? ▼
9.4% of households in Lafayette County receive SNAP, covering 1,177 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lafayette County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lafayette County, MO is 9.3%, with a median household income of $80,612 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lafayette County a food desert? ▼
1 of Lafayette County's 7 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 Lafayette County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.3% of households in Lafayette 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.