County food-access profile · Nebraska
Lancaster County, NE
Lancaster 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.
- 17.0%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 8.4%
- on SNAP
- 327K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
17.0% of Lancaster County residents live in a low-access area, and 10 of its 74 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 14K
- food-desert residents
- 6.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.9%
- 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).
Lancaster County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.0% per the USDA Atlas. 31 of the county's 74 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 48,379 residents who live far from a supermarket. 10 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,656 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 Lancaster County compares nationally
Lancaster County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.0% low-access share that beats 38% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,948).
Lancaster County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 74 census tracts in Lancaster County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lancaster County vs. other Nebraska counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Nebraska
- Lancaster 17
Lancaster County, NE
17 % low-access
- Adams 35
Adams County, NE
35 % low-access
- Antelope 12.9
Antelope County, NE
12.9 % low-access
- Arthur
Arthur County, NE
100 % low-access
- Banner
Banner County, NE
98.5 % low-access
- Blaine
Blaine County, NE
100 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 74 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 285,407 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 31 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 48,379 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.0%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,656 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 326,696 |
| Median Household Income | $74,793 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.9%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,241 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.4%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
About 8.4% of Lancaster County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 17.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,241 households here.
- 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 10 tracts 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 Lancaster County
near the national share
10 of Lancaster County's 74 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 13.5% of all its tracts.
A further 21 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 31.
An estimated 48,379 residents, roughly 17.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,656 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 43 tracts (58.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lancaster County
Lancaster County has 177 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 69 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 69
- casey's 2714, waverly
- casey's 2721, lincoln
- casey's 2724, lincoln
- casey's 4300, lincoln
- casey's 4304, crete
- casey's 4520, lincoln
- casey's 4521, lincoln
- casey's 3970, lincoln
- casey's 4272, lincoln
- casey's 4597, lincoln
- casey's general store 1934, lincoln
- casey's general store 2720, lincoln
- casey's general store 2729, lincoln
- casey's general store 2744, lincoln
- casey's general store 2745, lincoln
- casey's general store 2967, bennet
- casey's general store 2970, lincoln
- casey's general store 2971, lincoln
- casey's general store 2972, lincoln
- casey's general store 2973, lincoln
- casey's general store 2974, lincoln
- casey's general store 2977, lincoln
- casey's general store 2978, lincoln
- casey's general store 2979, lincoln
- casey's general store 2980, lincoln
- casey's general store 2981, lincoln
- casey's general store 2982, lincoln
- casey's general store 3515, lincoln
- emerald mini mart, lincoln
- european grocery deli, lincoln
- git n split 35, lincoln
- git n split 9, lincoln
- hy-vee gas 1 1385, lincoln
- hy-vee gas 2 5386, lincoln
- hy-vee gas 5390, lincoln
- jerusalen bakery, lincoln
- kwik shop 350618, lincoln
- kwik shop 350619, lincoln
- kwik shop 350632, lincoln
- kwik shop 350634, lincoln
- kwik shop 350635, lincoln
- kwik shop 350637, lincoln
- kwik shop 350641, lincoln
- kwik shop 350642, lincoln
- kwik shop 350646, lincoln
- kwik shop 350650, lincoln
- kwik shop 350662, lincoln
- kwik shop 350663, lincoln
- kwik shop 350681, lincoln
- mammoth station llc, waverly
- maverik, inc 768, lincoln
- mega saver 46, lincoln
- mendy market, lincoln
- murphy express 8781, lincoln
- np mart5 7, lincoln
- pump & pantry 9, lincoln
- sapp bros travel center, lincoln
- speedee mart 2813, lincoln
- super c #7, lincoln
- super c 1, lincoln
- super c 4, lincoln
- super c 6, lincoln
- u-stop 122, lincoln
- u-stop #18 203, lincoln
- u-stop #2 101, lincoln
- u-stop #24 121, lincoln
- u-stop #27 123, lincoln
- u-stop #3 201, lincoln
- u-stop #34 134, lincoln
Combination Grocery/Other · 38
- african home food supply, lincoln
- cvs 8616, lincoln
- cvs pharmacy 4033, lincoln
- cvs pharmacy 473, lincoln
- cvs pharmacy 8610, lincoln
- cvs pharmacy 8615, lincoln
- cvs pharmacy 8626, lincoln
- dollartree 10000, lincoln
- dollartree 10159, lincoln
- dollar general 10514, lincoln
- dollar general 10519, lincoln
- dollar general 16631, hickman
- dollar general 2807, lincoln
- dollar general 8894, lincoln
- dollar tree 2327, lincoln
- dollar tree 6781, lincoln
- dollar tree 7208, lincoln
- dollar tree 7509, lincoln
- dollar tree 7956, lincoln
- dollar tree plus 8928, lincoln
- family dollar 10019, lincoln
- family dollar 1425, lincoln
- family dollar 4614, lincoln
- hong kong market inc., lincoln
- little saigon, lincoln
- walgreens 00515, lincoln
- walgreens 00541, lincoln
- walgreens 01162, lincoln
- walgreens 01430, lincoln
- walgreens 02845, lincoln
- walgreens 03182, lincoln
- walgreens 04088, lincoln
- walgreens 04753, lincoln
- walgreens 05736, lincoln
- walgreens 05874, lincoln
- walgreens 06884, lincoln
- walgreens 10408, lincoln
- walgreens 11089, lincoln
Medium Grocery Store · 17
- al nor market llc, lincoln
- alfourat llc, lincoln
- almustafa market, lincoln
- amparito's market, lincoln
- green farms dai phat market, lincoln
- guatemex market, lincoln
- harvest european market, lincoln
- karen market, lincoln
- kt asian mart, lincoln
- lincoln food mart inc, lincoln
- lincoln mediterranean market, lincoln
- maya market lincoln, lincoln
- mingalar asian market llc, lincoln
- new market, lincoln
- russ's market express 29, waverly
- samovar european deli, lincoln
- super carniceria el pueblito il, lincoln
Super Store · 17
- costco wholesale 1285, lincoln
- hy-vee food store 1385, lincoln
- hy-vee food store 1386, lincoln
- hy-vee food store 1387, lincoln
- hy-vee food store 1388, lincoln
- hy-vee food store 1390, lincoln
- sam's club 4873, lincoln
- sam's club 6413, lincoln
- target stores t- 0217, lincoln
- target stores t- 0879, lincoln
- target stores t- 2303, lincoln
- u-stop 114, hickman
- walmart sc 1943, lincoln
- walmart sc 3278, lincoln
- walmart sc 3823, lincoln
- walmart super center 2432, lincoln
- whole foods market 10493, lincoln
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 46027, lincoln
- aldi 25, lincoln
- fresh international market, lincoln
- leons food mart, lincoln
- natural grocers by vitamin cottage u054, lincoln
- russ' market 21, lincoln
- russ's market 1, lincoln
- russ's market 14, lincoln
- russ's market 16, lincoln
- russ's market 2, lincoln
- super saver 11, lincoln
- super saver 17, lincoln
- super saver 27, lincoln
- super saver 4, lincoln
- super saver 9, lincoln
- trader joe's 722, lincoln
Large Grocery Store · 9
- a street market, lincoln
- canopy street market 1, lincoln
- guerrero grocery, lincoln
- mai's market, lincoln
- market place iga, lincoln
- open harvest cooperative, lincoln
- sara market, lincoln
- sun grocery, lincoln
- viet hao market, lincoln
Small Grocery Store · 5
- al nahrian, lincoln
- hser family asian market llc, lincoln
- oriental market inc, lincoln
- red clover market, lincoln
- roj market, lincoln
Farmers' Market · 3
- fallbrook farmers market, lincoln
- hub farmers market nafmnp, lincoln
- sunday farmers' market at college view, lincoln
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's ne003, lincoln
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- fareway meat market 179, lincoln
Seafood Specialty · 1
- surf and turf food company, lincoln
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Nebraska
Compare Lancaster County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Food access nationally, Nebraska in context
Lancaster County sits inside Nebraska (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Lancaster County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lancaster County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lancaster County? ▼
Is Lancaster County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lancaster County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.