Signature · 8.7% SNAP (20th pct in WI)
Lafayette County, WI
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.
- 15.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 8.7%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lafayette County, WI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.8 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 8.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Washburn County (+ 0.5 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lafayette County ranks #2,095 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #44 of 71 counties in WI (15.3% low-access).
- #2,095
- national by low-access %
- #44
- in WI
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 677
- 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: 8.7% SNAP (20th pct in WI) (-3.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Lafayette County compares nationally
Lafayette County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.3% low-access share that beats 33% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,100).
Lafayette County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Lafayette County has 0 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.
Lafayette County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Vernon 15.9
Vernon 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Washburn 15.8
Washburn 15.8%
15.8 % low-access
- Lafayette 15.3
Lafayette 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Door 14.7
Door 14.7%
14.7 % low-access
- Price 14.2
Price 14.2%
14.2 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 16,836 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,580 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 677 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,942 |
| Median Household Income | $76,462 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.9%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 588 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.7% |
SNAP retailers in Lafayette County
Lafayette County has 11 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (45% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- avon locker plant, darlington
- dollar general 11715, darlington
- dollar general 20120, argyle
- dollar general 21836, shullsburg
- dollar general 30404, s wayne
Convenience Store · 3
- casey's general store 2503, darlington
- gratiot boco, gratiot
- kwik trip 1197, belmont
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- kunderts main st market, blanchardville
- turpin's hometown grocery llc, shullsburg
Supermarket · 1
- piggly wiggly 402, darlington
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lafayette County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for Lafayette County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Lafayette County (8.7%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Wisconsin.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WI (15.3% here).
- Grant County, WV · 15.3% low-access
- Grant County, WV · 15.3% low-access
- Meade County, SD · 15.3% low-access
- Meade County, SD · 15.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (8.7% here).
- Addison County, VT · 8.7% SNAP
- Addison County, VT · 8.7% SNAP
- Lampasas County, TX · 8.7% SNAP
- Lampasas County, TX · 8.7% 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.
Food access nationally, Wisconsin in context
Lafayette County sits inside Wisconsin (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 Lafayette County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55065. 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.