Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Leake County, MS
Leake County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 20.4% low-access.
- 20.4%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 13.1%
- on SNAP
- 21K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Leake County, MS
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 20.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.7 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 13.1% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clay County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Leake County ranks #1,655 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #42 of 80 counties in MS (20.4% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,655
- national by low-access %
- #42
- in MS
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Leake County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Leake County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,655 most-affected nationwide.
Leake County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Leake County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (4 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Leake County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Panola 21.3
Panola 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Leake 20.4
Leake 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Clay 20.4
Clay 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Lawrence 20.4
Lawrence 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Lee 19.9
Lee 19.9%
19.9 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 23,805 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,858 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,713 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 21,319 |
| Median Household Income | $50,728 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 968 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.7%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
SNAP retailers in Leake County
Leake County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 8 locations (44% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Carthage holds 78% of them. 2 of the 3 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Lena, Walnut Grove.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage | 14 | 3 |
| Lena | 3 | none |
| Walnut Grove | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- cvs pharmacy 4519, carthage
- dollar general 128, carthage
- dollartree 8199, carthage
- dollar general 13096, walnut grove
- dollar general 17401, carthage
- dollar general 20554, lena
- dollar general 24378, carthage
- dollar general store 17544, carthage
Convenience Store · 6
- carthage shell 1, carthage
- goldi mart, carthage
- jr food mart 329, carthage
- lena pit stop, lena
- madden country store, carthage
- murphy usa 5813, carthage
Super Store · 3
- cash saver 23, carthage
- piggly wiggly #12, carthage
- walmart 305, carthage
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- ellis farmers market llc, lena
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Leake County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Leake County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Leake County, both outside Mississippi so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (20.4% here).
- Howell County, MO · 20.4% low-access
- Washington County, NE · 20.4% low-access
- Hunterdon County, NJ · 20.4% low-access
- Alexander County, NC · 20.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (13.1% here).
- Phelps County, MO · 13.1% SNAP
- Hill County, MT · 13.1% SNAP
- Chippewa County, MI · 13.1% SNAP
- Edmonson County, KY · 13.1% 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.
Mississippi among East South Central states
Mississippi ranks 2nd of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (26.4%). Leake County, at 20.4%, runs 6.0 pts below the Mississippi rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Leake County, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28079. 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.