PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Lawrence County, MO

Lawrence 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.

18.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
12.2%
on SNAP
39K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

18.6% of Lawrence County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
6.3%
households, no vehicle
14.5%
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).

Lawrence County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.6% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,185 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,309 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 Lawrence County compares nationally

Lawrence County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.6% low-access share that beats 42% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,809).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lawrence County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (42.9%) 3 tracts limited (42.9%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 43% Limited 43% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Lawrence County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lawrence 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 Lawrence County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)38,634
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population7,185
Low-Access Share18.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,309

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lawrence County
IndicatorValue
Population38,593
Median Household Income$61,215
Poverty Rate14.5%near the national average
SNAP Households1,788
SNAP Participation Rate12.2%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.6%
SNAP participation in Lawrence County 12.2%

About 12.2% of Lawrence County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 18.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,788 households here.
  • 6.3% 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 Lawrence County

near the national share

1 of Lawrence 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 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 7,185 residents, roughly 18.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,309 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lawrence County

Lawrence County has 35 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 20 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 20

  • aurora super stop 2, aurora
  • casey's 1054, pierce city
  • casey's 1079, miller
  • casey's 1324, aurora
  • casey's 2818, mount vernon
  • casey's 2863, marionville
  • casey's 3258, aurora
  • hot spot #3, mount vernon
  • jim carr oil company inc, aurora
  • marionville super stop, marionville
  • maverik 5207, mount vernon
  • maverik 5416, aurora
  • monett super stop, monett
  • mount vernon super stop, mount vernon
  • mountaineer super stop, mount vernon
  • murphy usa 7446, aurora
  • rapid roberts 116, aurora
  • ta mount vernon, mount vernon
  • the corner, aurora
  • town & country, pierce city

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • braums 283, aurora
  • dollar general 16177, miller
  • dollar general 18263, aurora
  • dollar general 21069, mock's creek
  • dollar general 2485, aurora
  • dollar general 3949, marionville
  • dollar general 6781, pierce city
  • dollar general 7596, mount vernon
  • dollar tree 7546, aurora
  • dollar tree 8511, mt. vernon

Super Store · 2

  • walmart sc 92, aurora
  • walmart supercenter 7249, mount vernon

Supermarket · 2

  • price cutter 15, aurora
  • price cutter 5, monett

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • legacy meats, verona

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 Lawrence County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Lawrence 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 Lawrence County has low food access? ▼
18.6% of residents in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County? ▼
12.2% of households in Lawrence County receive SNAP, covering 1,788 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lawrence County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lawrence County, MO is 14.5%, with a median household income of $61,215 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lawrence County a food desert? ▼
1 of Lawrence 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 Lawrence County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.3% of households in Lawrence 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.