Signature · 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts)
Mellette County, SD
Mellette County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (100% of the book) alongside 40.4% low-access.
- 40.4%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 24.8%
- on SNAP
- 2K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Mellette County, SD
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-SEVERE 40.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +18.3 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 24.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 100% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Campbell County (+ 0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Mellette County sits in the upper national band (40.4%, #385 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.
- #385
- national by low-access %
- #26
- in SD
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 584
- 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: 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts) .
How Mellette County compares nationally
Mellette County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 40.4% low-access share outpaces 88% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #388 most-affected nationwide.
Mellette County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Mellette County has 0 urban and 1 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.
Mellette County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in South Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Jones
Jones 100%
100 % low-access
- Haakon
Haakon 41.3%
41.3 % low-access
- Campbell
Campbell 40.5%
40.5 % low-access
- Mellette
Mellette 40.4%
40.4 % low-access
- Potter 39.6
Potter 39.6%
39.6 % low-access
- Bennett 39.2
Bennett 39.2%
39.2 % low-access
- Oglala Lakota 0
Oglala Lakota 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 2,048 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 827 |
| Low-Access Share | 40.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 584 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,943 |
| Median Household Income | $54,076 |
| Poverty Rate | 41.7%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 159 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 24.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.9%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.4% |
Slim SNAP store book in Mellette County
Mellette County has 4 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 2 locations (50% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 22810, white river
- gus stop ii, white river
Convenience Store · 1
- the outpost, white river
Large Grocery Store · 1
- wig wam, white river
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 Mellette County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
Mellette County inside a higher low-access state context
Mellette County sits inside South Dakota (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 Mellette County, SD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 46095. 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.