Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Newton County, MS
Newton County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 16.0% low-access.
- 16.0%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 11.7%
- on SNAP
- 21K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Newton County, MS
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 16.0% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Noxubee County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Newton County ranks #2,028 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #53 of 80 counties in MS (16.0% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #2,028
- national by low-access %
- #53
- in MS
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Newton County compares nationally
Newton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.0% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,028).
Newton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Newton County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (4 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Newton County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Pontotoc 16.3
Pontotoc 16.3%
16.3 % low-access
- Noxubee 16.1
Noxubee 16.1%
16.1 % low-access
- Newton 16
Newton 16%
16 % low-access
- Tunica 15.5
Tunica 15.5%
15.5 % low-access
- Grenada 15.4
Grenada 15.4%
15.4 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 21,720 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,478 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.0%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,953 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 21,093 |
| Median Household Income | $50,540 |
| Poverty Rate | 24.7%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 903 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.7%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
SNAP retailers in Newton County
Newton County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 10 locations (56% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Newton holds 39% of them. 3 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Little Rock, Conehatta, Hickory.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Newton | 7 | 2 |
| Decatur | 4 | 1 |
| Union | 3 | 1 |
| Little Rock | 2 | none |
| Conehatta | 1 | none |
| Hickory | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- dollar general 2689, newton
- dollar general 7620, decatur
- dollar general 12877, hickory
- dollar general 20958, little rock
- dollar general 24477, newton
- dollar general 24727, decatur
- dollar general 30529, conehatta
- family dollar 10393, union
- family dollar 12695, decatur
- family dollar 12723, newton
Convenience Store · 4
- chesney grocery, little rock
- ds gas & grocery, newton
- newton grocery inc, newton
- union junction 2005, union
Super Store · 2
- garvin's cashsaver 206, newton
- walmart store 1069, newton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- griff's big g supermarket, decatur
Supermarket · 1
- piggly wiggly union inc, union
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Newton County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Newton County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Newton County, both outside Mississippi so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (16.0% here).
- Marion County, MO · 16.0% low-access
- Warren County, KY · 16.0% low-access
- Wabash County, IL · 16.0% low-access
- Miami County, OH · 16.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (11.7% here).
- Midland County, MI · 11.7% SNAP
- Owen County, KY · 11.7% SNAP
- Henry County, KY · 11.7% SNAP
- Montgomery County, KS · 11.7% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Mississippi among East South Central states
Mississippi ranks 2nd of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (26.4%). Newton County, at 16.0%, runs 10.4 pts below the Mississippi rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
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, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28101. 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.