Signature · 99.8% low-access (98th pct)
Mercer County, MO
Mercer County sits in the upper national band on low-access (99.8%, +77.7 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 99.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 10.7%
- on SNAP
- 3K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Mercer County, MO
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 99.8% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +77.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 10.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Schuyler County ( -17.6 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Mercer County sits in the upper national band (99.8%, #51 of 3,079).
- #51
- national by low-access %
- #1
- in MO
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 99.8% low-access (98th pct) (+77.7 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Mercer County compares nationally
Mercer County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 99.8% low-access share outpaces 98% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #51 most-affected nationwide.
Mercer County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Mercer 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.
Mercer County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Missouri, not a full county-board reprint
- Mercer
Mercer 99.8%
99.8 % low-access
- Schuyler
Schuyler 82.2%
82.2 % low-access
- Pulaski
Pulaski 63.3%
63.3 % low-access
- Barton
Barton 56.5%
56.5 % low-access
- Nodaway
Nodaway 54.3%
54.3 % low-access
- Mississippi 3
Mississippi 3%
3 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 3,785 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,776 |
| Low-Access Share | 99.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,429 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,482 |
| Median Household Income | $62,679 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 139 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
SNAP retailers in Mercer County
Mercer County has 6 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 2 locations (33% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 6 authorized stores; Mercer holds 50% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Princeton.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mercer | 3 | 1 |
| Princeton | 3 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 31171, mercer
- dollar general 8096, princeton
Convenience Store · 2
- casey's 1092, princeton
- randy's short stop, mercer
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- princeton custom meats, princeton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- mercer hometown market, mercer
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Missouri
One of 114 counties in Missouri, 6 are shown here.
Compare Mercer County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Missouri among West North Central states
Missouri ranks 5th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Mercer County, at 99.8%, runs 74.9 pts above the Missouri 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 Mercer County, MO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 29129. 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.