Signature · 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)
Madison County, AR
Madison County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 26.1% low-access.
- 26.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 11.6%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Madison County, AR
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 26.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +4.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Jefferson County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Madison County ranks #1,206 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #34 of 75 counties in AR (26.1% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,206
- national by low-access %
- #34
- in AR
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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 (50% of tracts) .
How Madison County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Madison County's 26.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 61% of them and ranked #1,210 most-affected nationwide.
Madison County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Madison County has 0 urban and 4 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.
Madison County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Miller
Miller 27.1%
27.1 % low-access
- Clark
Clark 26.5%
26.5 % low-access
- Madison 26.1
Madison 26.1%
26.1 % low-access
- Jefferson 26
Jefferson 26%
26 % low-access
- Stone 25
Stone 25%
25 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 15,717 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,110 |
| Low-Access Share | 26.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,727 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 17,329 |
| Median Household Income | $56,798 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 747 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.6%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
SNAP retailers in Madison County
Madison County has 14 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (50% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 3231, huntsville
- dollartree 8771, huntsville
- dollar general 20830, st paul
- dollar general 21498, huntsville
- dollar general 21900, wesley
- dollar general 23503, huntsville
- dollar general 30498, hindsville
Convenience Store · 5
- aharts country store, saint paul
- chanas corner, huntsville
- kings river country store inc, huntsville
- la esquina market, huntsville
- ma & pa's bent n dent, huntsville
Super Store · 2
- harps food store 133, huntsville
- walmart 373, huntsville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Madison County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Madison County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Madison County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AR (26.1% here).
- Meeker County, MN · 26.1% low-access
- Meeker County, MN · 26.1% low-access
- Jasper County, MO · 26.1% low-access
- Jasper County, MO · 26.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (11.6% here).
- La Paz County, AZ · 11.6% SNAP
- La Paz County, AZ · 11.6% SNAP
- Fulton County, GA · 11.6% SNAP
- Fulton County, GA · 11.6% 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, Arkansas in context
Madison County sits inside Arkansas (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 Madison County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05087. 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.