Signature · 1 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)
Nome Census Area, AK
Nome Census Area's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 23.1% low-access.
- 23.1%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 29.4%
- on SNAP
- 10K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Nome Census Area, AK
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 23.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.0 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 29.4% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 55.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area ( -0.4 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Nome Census Area ranks #1,437 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #18 of 27 counties in AK (23.1% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,437
- national by low-access %
- #18
- in AK
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 1 LILA tracts (50% of tracts) .
How Nome Census Area compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Nome Census Area's 23.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,444 most-affected nationwide.
Nome Census Area: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Nome Census Area has 0 urban and 2 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Nome Census Area low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Alaska, not a full county-board reprint
- Lake and Peni…
Lake and Peni… 100%
100 % low-access
- Kenai Peninsu… 23.7
Kenai Peninsu… 23.7%
23.7 % low-access
- Nome 23.1
Nome 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Prince of Wal… 22.7
Prince of Wal… 22.7%
22.7 % low-access
- Aleutians West 21.4
Aleutians West 21.4%
21.4 % low-access
- Wrangell City… 21.4
Wrangell City… 21.4%
21.4 % low-access
- Kusilvak 0
Kusilvak 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,492 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,196 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.1%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,442 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,866 |
| Median Household Income | $78,681 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.5%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 828 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 29.4%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 55.9%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.1% |
SNAP retailers in Nome Census Area
Nome Census Area has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 13
- diomede native store, diomede
- elim native store, elim
- golovin bay trading company, nome
- koyuk native store, koyuk
- savoonga native store, savoonga
- shaktoolik native corporation, shaktoolik
- shaktoolik native store, shaktoolik
- shishmaref native store, shishmaref
- teller native store, teller
- unalakleet general store, unalakleet
- valentinas store, gambell
- wales native store, wales
- white mountain native store, white mountain
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- alaska commercial company 185, nome
- alaska commercial company 207, gambell
- alaska commercial company 215, unalakleet
- alaska commercial company 255, st michael
- nome liquor store 210, nome
- stebbins native store, stebbins
Supermarket · 2
- gambell native store, gambell
- nome hanson 1835, nome
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- f & t store, llc, brevig mission
Small Grocery Store · 1
- wales native corporation, wales
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Alaska
One of 29 counties in Alaska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Nome Census Area vs Aleutians East Borough → · All Alaska counties →
Food access nationally, Alaska in context
Nome Census Area sits inside Alaska (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Nome Census Area, AK are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 02180. 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.