Signature · 51.0% low-access (94th pct)
Meade County, KS
Meade County sits in the upper national band on low-access (51.0%, +28.9 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 51.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 6.5%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Meade County, KS
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 51.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +28.9 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Washington County ( -0.3 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Meade County sits in the upper national band (51.0%, #193 of 3,079).
- #193
- national by low-access %
- #8
- in KS
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 755
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 51.0% low-access (94th pct) (+28.9 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Meade County compares nationally
Meade County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 51.0% low-access share outpaces 94% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #193 most-affected nationwide.
Meade County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Meade County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Meade County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Kansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Clark
Clark 100%
100 % low-access
- Riley
Riley 53.5%
53.5 % low-access
- Meade
Meade 51%
51 % low-access
- Washington
Washington 50.7%
50.7 % low-access
- Greenwood
Greenwood 48.5%
48.5 % low-access
- Franklin
Franklin 47.2%
47.2 % low-access
- Jefferson 1.1
Jefferson 1.1%
1.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,575 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,333 |
| Low-Access Share | 51.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 755 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,903 |
| Median Household Income | $71,852 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 97 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.5%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
SNAP retailers in Meade County
Meade County has 8 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (50% of the total), followed by large grocery store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 8 authorized stores; Meade holds 63% of them. 1 of the 3 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Fowler.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Meade | 5 | 1 |
| Plains | 2 | 1 |
| Fowler | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 4
- ez stop, plains
- love's country store 116, meade
- quick pick 3 3, fowler
- u pump it 209, meade
Large Grocery Store · 2
- grand avenue market, plains
- meade thriftway, meade
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- dollar general 11487, meade
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- meade locker and processing, llc, meade
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kansas
One of 104 counties in Kansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Meade County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →
Kansas among West North Central states
Kansas ranks 4th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (26.4%). Meade County, at 51.0%, runs 24.6 pts above the Kansas 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 Meade County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20119. 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.