PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Mississippi

Lincoln County, MS

Lincoln 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.

17.7%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
11.8%
on SNAP
35K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MS

The food-access picture

17.7% of Lincoln County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
5.9%
households, no vehicle
21.2%
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).

Lincoln County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.7% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 6 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,162 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,571 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 Lincoln County compares nationally

Lincoln County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.7% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,895).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lincoln County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, MS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 1 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts adequate (16.7%) 3 tracts limited (50.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 17% Limited 50% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Lincoln County, MS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lincoln County vs. other Mississippi counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Mississippi

% 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 Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)34,869
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population6,162
Low-Access Share17.7%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,571

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Population34,877
Median Household Income$51,119
Poverty Rate21.2%above the national average
SNAP Households1,552
SNAP Participation Rate11.8%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Lincoln County 11.8%

About 11.8% of Lincoln County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 17.7% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,552 households here.
  • 5.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Lincoln County

near the national share

2 of Lincoln County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 6,162 residents, roughly 17.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,571 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 1 tract (16.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has 41 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 18

  • a one stop, brookhaven
  • a one stop 10, brookhaven
  • a one stop 4, brookhaven
  • a-one stop 2, brookhaven
  • aliya llc dba a one stop 3 3, brookhaven
  • b-kwik 12, brookhaven
  • bluesky 401, brookhaven
  • bogue chitto truck stop, bogue chitto
  • c store, brookhaven
  • gnj stop 1 llc, brookhaven
  • grl food mart, brookhaven
  • kayden kumar llc, brookhaven
  • murphy usa 5531, brookhaven
  • p.k.'s quick mart, brookhaven
  • pik n pak, brookhaven
  • rp food mart, llc, brookhaven
  • sk groceries discount mart llc, brookhaven
  • uncle ray's, wesson

Combination Grocery/Other · 16

  • dollar general 0702, brookhaven
  • dollar general 14442, bogue chitto
  • dollar general 8182, brookhaven
  • dollar general 12911, brookhaven
  • dollar general 12915, brookhaven
  • dollar general 13684, brookhaven
  • dollar general 21128, brookhaven
  • dollar general 24288, brookhaven
  • dollar general 25997, brookhaven
  • dollar general 31438, brookhaven
  • dollar tree 1488, brookhaven
  • family dollar 13222, bogue chitto
  • family dollar 13467, brookhaven
  • family dollar store 10767, brookhaven
  • knight' deer processing and meat market, llc, brookhaven
  • walgreens 01166, brookhaven

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 82038, brookhaven
  • sullivan's grocery 16, brookhaven

Farmers' Market · 1

  • brookway market basket, brookhaven

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • country meat market, brookhaven

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • diamond j meat and seafood llc, brookhaven

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • k & b seafood, brookhaven

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 816, brookhaven

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Mississippi

Adams County
28.3% low-access · 16.5% SNAP
Alcorn County
18.9% low-access · 16.1% SNAP
Amite County
13.9% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Attala County
27.1% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Benton County
35.7% low-access · 17.2% SNAP
Bolivar County
50.9% low-access · 26.0% SNAP

Compare Lincoln County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →

Food access nationally, Mississippi in context

Lincoln County sits inside Mississippi (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 Lincoln County has low food access? ▼
17.7% of residents in Lincoln County, MS 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 Lincoln County? ▼
11.8% of households in Lincoln County receive SNAP, covering 1,552 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lincoln County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lincoln County, MS is 21.2%, with a median household income of $51,119 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lincoln County a food desert? ▼
2 of Lincoln County's 6 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 Lincoln County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.9% of households in Lincoln 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.