Signature · 28.9% low-access (68th pct)
Newton County, AR
Newton County sits in the upper national band on low-access (28.9%, +6.8 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 28.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 11.1%
- on SNAP
- 7K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Newton County, AR
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 28.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.8 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Cross County (+ 0.3 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Newton County sits in the upper national band (28.9%, #1,011 of 3,079).
- #1,011
- national by low-access %
- #27
- in AR
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 946
- 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: 28.9% low-access (68th pct) (+6.8 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Newton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Newton County's 28.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #1,011 most-affected nationwide.
Newton County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Newton 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.
Newton County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Sevier
Sevier 29.3%
29.3 % low-access
- Cross
Cross 29.2%
29.2 % low-access
- Garland
Garland 29.2%
29.2 % low-access
- Newton
Newton 28.9%
28.9 % low-access
- Monroe
Monroe 28.3%
28.3 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,330 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,406 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 946 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,112 |
| Median Household Income | $48,986 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 353 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
SNAP retailers in Newton County
Newton County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Jasper holds 57% of them. 2 of the 3 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Deer, Western Grove.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Jasper | 4 | 1 |
| Deer | 2 | none |
| Western Grove | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 11369, jasper
- dollar general 14988, western grove
- dollar general 25569, jasper
Convenience Store · 3
- bbkf enterprises llc, jasper
- ray's grocery & station, deer
- red oak station - deer 002, deer
Super Store · 1
- harps food store 195, jasper
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Newton County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Arkansas among West South Central states
Arkansas ranks 4th of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Newton County, at 28.9%, runs 4.0 pts above the Arkansas rate.
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 Newton County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05101. 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.