PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Mississippi

Oktibbeha County, MS

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Oktibbeha County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

33.6%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
11.8%
on SNAP
52K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MS

The food-access picture

33.6% of Oktibbeha County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
9K
food-desert residents
5.4%
households, no vehicle
25.5%
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).

USDA data puts Oktibbeha County's low-access share at 33.6%, above the national share. 5 of the county's 8 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,039 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 9,251 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 Oktibbeha County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Oktibbeha County's 33.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 78% of them and ranked #702 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Oktibbeha County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Oktibbeha 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 Oktibbeha County, MS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (37.5%) 1 tracts limited (12.5%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 38% Limited 13% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Oktibbeha County, MS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Oktibbeha County vs. other Mississippi counties

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

% 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 Oktibbeha County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)47,671
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population16,039
Low-Access Share33.6%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population9,251

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Oktibbeha County
IndicatorValue
Population51,771
Median Household Income$46,695
Poverty Rate25.5%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,571
SNAP Participation Rate11.8%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population11.2%
SNAP participation in Oktibbeha County 11.8%

About 11.8% of Oktibbeha County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,571 households here.
  • 5.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Oktibbeha County

above the national share

4 of Oktibbeha County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 50.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 16,039 residents, roughly 33.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 9,251 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (37.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Oktibbeha County

Oktibbeha County has 35 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 18 locations (51% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 18

  • asian food inc 1, starkville
  • cvs pharmacy 5573, starkville
  • dollar general 14380, starkville
  • dollar general 2716, starkville
  • dollar general 7025, starkville
  • dollartree 10743, starkville
  • dollar general 10121, starkville
  • dollar general 11324, starkville
  • dollar general 17227, starkville
  • dollar general 21377, starkville
  • dollar general 23417, sturgis
  • dollar general 24243, starkville
  • dollar general 25991, crawford
  • dollar general store 17704, starkville
  • dollar tree 5934, starkville
  • east ms wholesale, starkville
  • family dollar 565, starkville
  • walgreens 6770, starkville

Convenience Store · 12

  • 1045 louisville express llc, starkville
  • fastbreak marathon of starkville inc, starkville
  • macs meat market 1, starkville
  • murphy usa 7808, starkville
  • q mart 2, starkville
  • quick shoppe #80, starkville
  • sprint mart 4134, starkville
  • sprint mart 4140, starkville
  • sprint mart 4147, starkville
  • texaco meat market, starkville
  • the general store, maben
  • westside market, starkville

Super Store · 3

  • kroger food & phar #381 381, starkville
  • walmart neighborhood market 5459, starkville
  • walmart supercenter 112, starkville

Farmers' Market · 1

  • starkville community market, starkville

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 82075, starkville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Mississippi

Adams County
28.3% low-access · 16.5% SNAP
Alcorn County
18.9% low-access · 16.1% SNAP
Amite County
13.9% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Attala County
27.1% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Benton County
35.7% low-access · 17.2% SNAP
Bolivar County
50.9% low-access · 26.0% SNAP

Compare Oktibbeha County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →

Food access nationally, Mississippi in context

Oktibbeha County sits inside Mississippi (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 Oktibbeha County has low food access? ▼
33.6% of residents in Oktibbeha County, MS 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 Oktibbeha County? ▼
11.8% of households in Oktibbeha County receive SNAP, covering 2,571 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Oktibbeha County? ▼
The poverty rate in Oktibbeha County, MS is 25.5%, with a median household income of $46,695 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Oktibbeha County a food desert? ▼
4 of Oktibbeha County's 8 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 Oktibbeha County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.4% of households in Oktibbeha 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.