Signature · 5.2% SNAP (43rd pct in SD)
Lake County, SD
Lake 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.
- 19.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 5.2%
- on SNAP
- 11K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lake County, SD
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 19.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -3.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grant County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lake County ranks #1,760 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #51 of 65 counties in SD (19.1% low-access).
- #1,760
- national by low-access %
- #51
- in SD
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 272
- 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: 5.2% SNAP (43rd pct in SD) (-6.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Lake County compares nationally
Lake County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.1% low-access share that beats 44% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,761).
Lake County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Lake County has 1 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.
Lake County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in South Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Jones
Jones 100%
100 % low-access
- Lawrence 20.1
Lawrence 20.1%
20.1 % low-access
- Minnehaha 19.8
Minnehaha 19.8%
19.8 % low-access
- Lake 19.1
Lake 19.1%
19.1 % low-access
- Grant 18.9
Grant 18.9%
18.9 % low-access
- Buffalo 18.1
Buffalo 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Oglala Lakota 0
Oglala Lakota 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 11,200 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,137 |
| Low-Access Share | 19.1%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 272 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 10,972 |
| Median Household Income | $76,808 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.4%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 246 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.9% |
SNAP retailers in Lake County
Lake County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 10937, madison
- dollar general 30327, madison
- lewis drug 5, madison
Convenience Store · 3
- casey's 1718, madison
- dakota butcher-madison inc, madison
- kwik star 1759, madison
Super Store · 1
- madison grocery store inc, madison
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in South Dakota
One of 65 counties in South Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lake County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
Nationwide peers for Lake County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Lake County (5.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside South Dakota.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside SD (19.1% here).
- Franklin County, TN · 19.1% low-access
- Franklin County, TN · 19.1% low-access
- Garfield County, OK · 19.1% low-access
- Garfield County, OK · 19.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside SD (5.2% here).
- Beaufort County, SC · 5.2% SNAP
- Beaufort County, SC · 5.2% SNAP
- Salt Lake County, UT · 5.2% SNAP
- Salt Lake County, UT · 5.2% 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, South Dakota in context
Lake County sits inside South Dakota (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 Lake County, SD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 46079. 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.