PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Newton County, MO

Newton 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.

16.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
12.3%
on SNAP
60K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

16.5% of Newton County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
3.9%
households, no vehicle
13.5%
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).

Newton County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 16.5% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 9,562 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,310 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 Newton County compares nationally

Newton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.5% low-access share that beats 36% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,994).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Newton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Newton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Newton County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (66.7%) 3 tracts limited (25.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (8.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 25% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Newton County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Newton County vs. other Missouri counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Newton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)58,114
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population9,562
Low-Access Share16.5%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,310

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Newton County
IndicatorValue
Population60,118
Median Household Income$66,301
Poverty Rate13.5%near the national average
SNAP Households2,727
SNAP Participation Rate12.3%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%
SNAP participation in Newton County 12.3%

About 12.3% of Newton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 16.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,727 households here.
  • 3.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Newton County

near the national share

1 of Newton County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.3% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 9,562 residents, roughly 16.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,310 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Newton County

Newton County has 66 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 32 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 32

  • ants enterprises, inc, neosho
  • big daddy's c store 1, seneca
  • c-mart, goodman
  • casey's 4363, granby
  • casey's 1681, joplin
  • casey's 2868, diamond
  • casey's 2869, neosho
  • casey's 4256, joplin
  • caseys general store 3020, joplin
  • clicks & more, stella
  • flowers bakery outlet 1075, joplin
  • food mart, joplin
  • fresh way, neosho
  • fresh way 2, goodman
  • j & a package, neosho
  • love's travel stop 585, neosho
  • loves travel stop 282, joplin
  • maverik 5177, neosho
  • maverik 5180, neosho
  • maverik 5314, joplin
  • murphy usa 5747, neosho
  • neosho super stop, neosho
  • pilot travel center 669, joplin
  • pump n pantry, diamond
  • rapid roberts 122, joplin
  • ruhan express llc, neosho
  • sharanar food llc, neosho
  • snack attack, joplin
  • the corner 32nd, joplin
  • yesway 1038, neosho
  • yesway 1039, neosho
  • zipz 1, joplin

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • braums 223, neosho
  • cvs pharmacy 10160, joplin
  • dollar general 10119, diamond
  • dollar general 11659, goodman
  • dollar general 12603, joplin
  • dollar general 16263, joplin
  • dollar general 18022, joplin
  • dollar general 20179, neosho
  • dollar general 21008, neosho
  • dollar general 23303, neosho
  • dollar general 24334, fairview
  • dollar general 25465, stark city
  • dollar general 7243, granby
  • dollar general 7811, seneca
  • dollar general store 2967, neosho
  • dollar tree 858, neosho
  • walgreens 09467, neosho
  • walgreens 15730, joplin
  • wordens meat, joplin

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • dos primos tienda y antojitos, neosho
  • family market of neosho, neosho
  • island genez market, joplin
  • the super main stop 1, neosho

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 46034, neosho
  • g & w foods 2725, seneca
  • king food saver 24, neosho
  • ramey 14, granby

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • hatfields locker, neosho
  • tienda el quetzal, neosho
  • tienda emanuel, neosho

Super Store · 2

  • food 4 less 157, joplin
  • walmart sc 17, neosho

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's pizza mo024, neosho

Farmers' Market · 1

  • neosho farmers market, neosho

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Adair County
27.3% low-access · 9.0% SNAP
Andrew County
15.8% low-access · 4.9% SNAP
Atchison County
5.1% low-access · 5.8% SNAP
Audrain County
22.6% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Barry County
19.7% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Barton County
56.5% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Newton County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Newton County sits inside Missouri (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Newton County has low food access? ▼
16.5% of residents in Newton County, MO live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Newton County? ▼
12.3% of households in Newton County receive SNAP, covering 2,727 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Newton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Newton County, MO is 13.5%, with a median household income of $66,301 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Newton County a food desert? ▼
1 of Newton County's 12 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Newton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.9% of households in Newton County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.