Signature · 2.7% SNAP (6th pct in ND)
Mercer County, ND
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Mercer County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 23.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 2.7%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Mercer County, ND
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 23.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.3 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 2.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Adams County ( -0.8 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Mercer County ranks #1,408 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #41 of 53 counties in ND (23.4% low-access).
- #1,408
- national by low-access %
- #41
- in ND
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 355
- 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: 2.7% SNAP (6th pct in ND) (-9.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Mercer County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Mercer County's 23.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 55% of them and ranked #1,408 most-affected nationwide.
Mercer County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Mercer County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (2 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Mercer County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Nelson
Nelson 100%
100 % low-access
- Grand Forks 25
Grand Forks 25%
25 % low-access
- Ward 24.2
Ward 24.2%
24.2 % low-access
- Mercer 23.4
Mercer 23.4%
23.4 % low-access
- Adams 22.6
Adams 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Cass 21
Cass 21%
21 % low-access
- Rolette 9.6
Rolette 9.6%
9.6 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,424 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,967 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 355 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,337 |
| Median Household Income | $80,946 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 98 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
SNAP retailers in Mercer County
Mercer County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Beulah holds 57% of them. Every one of these towns has at least one grocery-grade outlet (2 across the county).
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Beulah | 4 | 1 |
| Hazen | 3 | 1 |
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 20606, hazen
- dollar general 20882, beulah
- krause market, hazen
Convenience Store · 1
- brake time 243711, beulah
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- meat shop, beulah
Super Store · 1
- bronsons super valu, beulah
Supermarket · 1
- hazen market llc, hazen
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Dakota
One of 52 counties in North Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Mercer County vs Adams County → · All North Dakota counties →
North Dakota among West North Central states
North Dakota ranks 2nd of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (28.9%). Mercer County, at 23.4%, runs 5.5 pts below the North 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 Mercer County, ND are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 38057. 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.