County food-access profile · South Dakota
Minnehaha County, SD
Minnehaha 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.
- 19.8%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 8.4%
- on SNAP
- 203K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
19.8% of Minnehaha County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 42 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 14
- low-access tracts
- 8K
- food-desert residents
- 5.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.8%
- below poverty line
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, 1-and-10-mile measure).
Minnehaha County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.8% per the USDA Atlas. 14 of the county's 42 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 33,525 residents who live far from a supermarket. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,312 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How Minnehaha County compares nationally
Minnehaha County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.8% low-access share that beats 46% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,699).
Minnehaha County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 42 census tracts in Minnehaha County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Minnehaha County vs. other South Dakota counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Dakota
- Minnehaha 19.8
Minnehaha County, SD
19.8 % low-access
- Aurora
Aurora County, SD
70.4 % low-access
- Beadle 29
Beadle County, SD
29 % low-access
- Bennett
Bennett County, SD
39.2 % low-access
- Bon Homme
Bon Homme County, SD
80.2 % low-access
- Brookings
Brookings County, SD
45.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 42 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 169,468 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 14 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 33,525 |
| Low-Access Share | 19.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 8,312 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 203,289 |
| Median Household Income | $76,880 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 7,124 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.4%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
About 8.4% of Minnehaha County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 19.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,124 households here.
- 5.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Minnehaha County
near the national share
6 of Minnehaha County's 42 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.
A further 8 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 14.
An estimated 33,525 residents, roughly 19.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 8,312 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 28 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Minnehaha County
Minnehaha County has 176 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 84 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 84
- beryozka european grocery store, sioux falls
- biftu grocery store and restaurant, sioux falls
- casey's 2168, brandon
- casey's 2334, sioux falls
- casey's 2351, sioux falls
- casey's 2464, sioux falls
- casey's 3285, dell rapids
- casey's 3963, sioux falls
- casey's 4302, sioux falls
- casey's 5211, sioux falls
- casey's 5212, sioux falls
- casey's 5213, sioux falls
- casey's 5214, sioux falls
- chs cenex zip trip 82, sioux falls
- casey's 3878, sioux falls
- casey's 4471, crooks
- casey's 4599, brandon
- casey's general store 3049, sioux falls
- casey's general store 3722, sioux falls
- caseys general store 3019, sioux falls
- circle k 2746561, sioux falls
- circle k 2746563, sioux falls
- classic corner, baltic
- corner pantry 23, sioux falls
- corner pantry 31, sioux falls
- corner pantry 32, sioux falls
- corner pantry 34, sioux falls
- cubbys w 49th 405, sioux falls
- cubbys west 12th truckstop 403, sioux falls
- dba circle k 2746530, baltic
- dba circle k 2746532, sioux falls
- fair market, sioux falls
- first american family shop, sioux falls
- food n fuel, sioux falls
- gas barrel, sioux falls
- get n go 03, hartford
- get n go 10, sioux falls
- get n go 11, sioux falls
- get n go 12, sioux falls
- get n go 15, sioux falls
- get n go 16, sioux falls
- get n go 18, sioux falls
- get n go 2, sioux falls
- get n go 20, sioux falls
- get n go 21, sioux falls
- get n go 22, sioux falls
- get n go 24, sioux falls
- get n go 7, sioux falls
- get n go 8, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746304, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746493, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746494, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746495, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746496, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746498, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746499, sioux falls
- holiday stationstore 2746502, brandon
- holiday stationstore 2746504, sioux falls
- hy-vee gas #4 5633, sioux falls
- hy-vee gas 2 5631, sioux falls
- hy-vee gas 5624, sioux falls
- hy-vee gas 5632, sioux falls
- hy-vee gas 5637, sioux falls
- jz coffee bar & grill, sioux falls
- kash sinclair 1, sioux falls
- kota korner, sioux falls
- kwik star 1200, sioux falls
- kwik star 1201, brandon
- kwik star 1217, sioux falls
- kwik star 1257, sioux falls
- kwik star 1285, sioux falls
- kwik star 1292, sioux falls
- kwik star 1711, sioux falls
- loves travel stop 445, sioux falls
- mega saver 69, sioux falls
- mega saver 71, sioux falls
- mekong asian market, sioux falls
- onestop dell rapids, dell rapids
- onestop north cliff, sioux falls
- pilot travel center 716, sioux falls
- renner corner meats, renner
- shop n cart 004, sioux falls
- the 49 er 1, sioux falls
- tienda los hispanos, sioux falls
Combination Grocery/Other · 43
- addis ababa, sioux falls
- dollar general 15413, brandon
- dollar general 18515, colton
- dollartree 10231, sioux falls
- dollartree 10334, sioux falls
- dollartree 8629, sioux falls
- dollartree 8699, sioux falls
- dollartree 9503, sioux falls
- dollar general 10699, sioux falls
- dollar general 10862, sioux falls
- dollar general 10943, hartford
- dollar general 11018, sioux falls
- dollar general 14991, sioux falls
- dollar general 17888, garretson
- dollar general 22001, dell rapids
- dollar general 22751, sioux falls
- dollar tree 2760, sioux falls
- dollar tree 4408, sioux falls
- dollar tree 7276, sioux falls
- east african grocery store, sioux falls
- family dollar 5280, sioux falls
- family dollar 5324, sioux falls
- fatu african market llc, sioux falls
- fresh asian market, sioux falls
- india bazaar 1, sioux falls
- jay ambe-2 llc, sioux falls
- jay ambe-3 llc, sioux falls
- lewis drug 1, sioux falls
- lewis drug 17, sioux falls
- lewis drug 2, sioux falls
- lewis drug 3, sioux falls
- lewis drug 6, sioux falls
- lewis drug 7, sioux falls
- lewis drugs inc 14, sioux falls
- lewis drugs inc 15, sioux falls
- mama africa global market, sioux falls
- sheger addis, sioux falls
- sunshine foods, brandon
- walgreens 01975, sioux falls
- walgreens 05514, sioux falls
- walgreens 10729, sioux falls
- walgreens 5243, sioux falls
- walgreens 5745, sioux falls
Super Store · 15
- costco wholesale 1159, sioux falls
- county fair food store 90, dell rapids
- fareway stores, inc. 164, sioux falls
- fareway stores, inc. 213, sioux falls
- hy-vee food store 1624, sioux falls
- hy-vee food store 1631, sioux falls
- hy-vee food store 1632, sioux falls
- hy-vee food store 1633, sioux falls
- hy-vee food store 1637, sioux falls
- sam's club 8165, sioux falls
- target stores t- 0076, sioux falls
- target stores t- 2540, sioux falls
- walmart sc 1535, sioux falls
- walmart sc 3237, sioux falls
- walmart supercenter 4865, sioux falls
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 72020 72020, sioux falls
- aldi 72021 72021, souix falls
- aldi 72118, sioux falls
- el mexicano 7, sioux falls
- fair market, sioux falls
- franklin food market, sioux falls
- natural grocers u168, sioux falls
- pomegranate market, sioux falls
- sunshine foods, hartford
- sunshine foods 9030, sioux falls
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- bujumbura market llc, sioux falls
- burundi grocery store ltd, sioux falls
- dar el salam market, sioux falls
- garretson food center, garretson
- mi casa latina mexican store llp 1, sioux falls
- neighborhood market, sioux falls
- nepali asian market llc, sioux falls
- nikkis lamexicana 2, sioux falls
Small Grocery Store · 8
- a z african market, sioux falls
- al beri grocery store, sioux falls
- global foods grocery, sioux falls
- marias market, llc, sioux falls
- mi pueblo mexican market, sioux falls
- om sai food and health concepts, sioux falls
- tawakal store llc, sioux falls
- the fruit truck market, sioux falls
Bakery Specialty · 5
- papa murphy's pizza sd008, sioux falls
- papa murphy's pizza sd015, sioux falls
- papa murphys pizza sd003, sioux falls
- papa murphys pizza sd005, sioux falls
- papa murphys pizza sd008, sioux falls
Large Grocery Store · 2
- mogadisho grocery store llc, sioux falls
- sioux falls food co-op, sioux falls
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- meat lodge llc, sioux falls
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Dakota
Compare Minnehaha County vs Aurora County → · All South Dakota counties →
Food access nationally, South Dakota in context
Minnehaha County sits inside South Dakota (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Minnehaha County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Minnehaha County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Minnehaha County? ▼
Is Minnehaha County a food desert? ▼
What share of Minnehaha County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
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.