Signature · 31 SNAP-authorized stores
Marion County, IA
Marion 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.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 7.9%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Marion County, IA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.2 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 7.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Plymouth County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Marion County ranks #2,036 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #52 of 98 counties in IA (15.9% low-access).
- #2,036
- national by low-access %
- #52
- in IA
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 31 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Marion County compares nationally
Marion County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,036).
Marion County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
8 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Marion County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (5 rural, 3 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 3 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Marion County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Iowa, not a full county-board reprint
- Fremont
Fremont 76%
76 % low-access
- Jasper 16.2
Jasper 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- Marion 15.9
Marion 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Plymouth 15.9
Plymouth 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Appanoose 15.7
Appanoose 15.7%
15.7 % low-access
- Jones 15.6
Jones 15.6%
15.6 % low-access
- Grundy 0
Grundy 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 33,309 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,309 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,077 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 33,642 |
| Median Household Income | $78,680 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,057 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.9%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Marion County
Marion County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
8 towns share the 31 authorized stores; Knoxville holds 39% of them. 5 of the 8 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Melcher, Pleasantville, Bussey, Monroe, Otley.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | 12 | 3 |
| Pella | 10 | 3 |
| Melcher | 2 | none |
| Melcher Dallas | 2 | 1 |
| Pleasantville | 2 | none |
| Bussey | 1 | none |
| Monroe | 1 | none |
| Otley | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 16
- casey's 2598, pella
- casey's general store 1610, knoxville
- casey's general store 1827, knoxville
- casey's general store 2307, melcher
- casey's general store 2523, monroe
- casey's general store 2640, pleasantville
- casey's general store 2694, pella
- casey's general store 3217, knoxville
- casey's general store 3566, pella
- git-n-go 38, pella
- knoxville fast and fresh express 5353, knoxville
- kwik star 1717, pella
- kwik star 1745, knoxville
- main street markt, pella
- murphy usa 6518, knoxville
- wilsons corner, bussey
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 20255, melcher dallas
- dollar general 23989, pella
- dollar general 3540, knoxville
- dollar general 6820, knoxville
- dollar general store 18232, pleasantville
- dollar tree 7400, knoxville
Super Store · 6
- fareway stores, inc. 980, knoxville
- fareway stores, inc. 995, pella
- hy-vee food store 1353, knoxville
- hy-vee food store 1516, pella
- walmart 751, pella
- walmart sc 2935, knoxville
Farmers' Market · 1
- wanders farms llc, otley
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- northcote wholesale meat, melcher
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- d & s grocery, melcher dallas
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Iowa
One of 98 counties in Iowa, 6 are shown here.
Compare Marion County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Nationwide peers for Marion County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Marion County, both outside Iowa so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IA (15.9% here).
- Sullivan County, IN · 15.9% low-access
- McIntosh County, GA · 15.9% low-access
- Alpena County, MI · 15.9% low-access
- Menominee County, MI · 15.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IA (7.9% here).
- Lincoln County, ME · 7.9% SNAP
- Bryan County, GA · 7.9% SNAP
- Okaloosa County, FL · 7.9% SNAP
- Rice County, MN · 7.9% 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.
Iowa among West North Central states
Iowa ranks 7th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.0%). Marion County, at 15.9%, runs 4.1 pts below the Iowa rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Marion County, IA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 19125. 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.