Signature · 15.3% low-access (33rd pct)
Meade County, SD
Meade 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.
- 15.3%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 5.9%
- on SNAP
- 31K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Meade County, SD
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 15.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.8 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Hyde County ( -0.5 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Meade County ranks #2,096 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #58 of 65 counties in SD (15.3% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #2,096
- national by low-access %
- #58
- in SD
- 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: 15.3% low-access (33rd pct) (-6.8 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Meade County compares nationally
Meade County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.3% low-access share that beats 33% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,096).
Meade County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
Meade County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (3 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Meade County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in South Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Jones
Jones 100%
100 % low-access
- Todd 17
Todd 17%
17 % low-access
- Kingsbury 16.8
Kingsbury 16.8%
16.8 % low-access
- Lincoln 16.6
Lincoln 16.6%
16.6 % low-access
- Meade 15.3
Meade 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Hyde 14.8
Hyde 14.8%
14.8 % low-access
- Oglala Lakota 0
Oglala Lakota 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 25,434 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,902 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,162 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 30,546 |
| Median Household Income | $74,790 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 708 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.9%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.5% |
SNAP retailers in Meade County
Meade County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
7 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Sturgis holds 44% of them. 4 of the 7 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Black Hawk, Howes, Ellsworth Afb, Piedmont.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Sturgis | 8 | 2 |
| Black Hawk | 2 | none |
| Faith | 2 | 1 |
| Howes | 2 | none |
| Summerset | 2 | 1 |
| Ellsworth Afb | 1 | none |
| Piedmont | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 7
- bjs country store, black hawk
- big d oil 46, sturgis
- cheyenne river grocery marketing corporation, howes
- common cents food store 120, sturgis
- corner pantry 6, sturgis
- elk creek valley market/ big d oil 14, piedmont
- yesway 1193, sturgis
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 18409, sturgis
- dollar general 22925, black hawk
- dollar general 24122, faith
- dollar general store 18299, summerset
- family dollar 7146, sturgis
Large Grocery Store · 2
- kan-meyer inc, sturgis
- lynns dakotamart, faith
Military Commissary · 1
- ellsworth afb commissary 1006, ellsworth afb
Small Grocery Store · 1
- howes store llc, howes
Super Store · 1
- lynns dakotamart, sturgis
Supermarket · 1
- haggar's grocery, summerset
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in South Dakota
One of 65 counties in South Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Meade County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
Nationwide peers for Meade County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Meade County, both outside South Dakota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside SD (15.3% here).
- Lackawanna County, PA · 15.3% low-access
- Grant County, WV · 15.3% low-access
- Lafayette County, WI · 15.3% low-access
- Howard County, MO · 15.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside SD (5.9% here).
- Blount County, TN · 5.9% SNAP
- Cheatham County, TN · 5.9% SNAP
- Rockingham County, VA · 5.9% SNAP
- Pierce County, WI · 5.9% 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.
South Dakota among West North Central states
South Dakota ranks 1st of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (29.1%). Meade County, at 15.3%, runs 13.8 pts below the South Dakota 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, SD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 46093. 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.