Signature · 71.8% low-access (97th pct)
Otoe County, NE
Otoe County sits in the upper national band on low-access (71.8%, +49.7 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 71.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 6.0%
- on SNAP
- 16K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Otoe County, NE
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 71.8% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +49.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Greeley County ( -5.7 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Otoe County sits in the upper national band (71.8%, #96 of 3,079).
- #96
- national by low-access %
- #11
- in NE
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 71.8% low-access (97th pct) (+49.7 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Otoe County compares nationally
Otoe County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 71.8% low-access share outpaces 97% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #96 most-affected nationwide.
Otoe County's elevated USDA tier split
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Otoe County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (3 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Otoe County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Nebraska, not a full county-board reprint
- Thomas
Thomas 100%
100 % low-access
- Otoe
Otoe 71.8%
71.8 % low-access
- Greeley
Greeley 66.1%
66.1 % low-access
- Gosper
Gosper 64.1%
64.1 % low-access
- Sioux
Sioux 63.7%
63.7 % low-access
- Red Willow
Red Willow 58.2%
58.2 % low-access
- Burt 0.7
Burt 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 15,740 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 5 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 11,303 |
| Low-Access Share | 71.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,086 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,241 |
| Median Household Income | $82,188 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 382 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.0%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
SNAP retailers in Otoe County
Otoe County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 6 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 15 authorized stores; Nebraska City holds 53% of them. 1 of the 3 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Palmyra.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska City | 8 | 3 |
| Syracuse | 5 | 1 |
| Palmyra | 2 | none |
Convenience Store · 6
- casey's 2743, palmyra
- casey's general store 1817, nebraska city
- casey's general store 2735, syracuse
- cubby's syracuse 117, syracuse
- kwik shop 350649, nebraska city
- loves travel stop 676, syracuse
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 8437, syracuse
- dollar general 8618, nebraska city
- dollar tree 6552, nebraska city
- walgreens 12854, nebraska city
Super Store · 3
- fareway stores, inc. 118, nebraska city
- hy-vee dollar fresh 1438, nebraska city
- walmart sc 4209, nebraska city
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- syracuse fresh market, syracuse
Small Grocery Store · 1
- deckers food center, palmyra
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Nebraska
One of 92 counties in Nebraska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Otoe County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Counties near Otoe County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Otoe County, both outside Nebraska so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NE (71.8% here).
- Franklin County, TX · 74.2% low-access
- Bethel Census Area, AK · 68.6% low-access
- Calhoun County, TX · 68.5% low-access
- Bullock County, AL · 68.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NE (6.0% here).
- Park County, MT · 6.0% SNAP
- Clay County, MO · 6.0% SNAP
- Nicollet County, MN · 6.0% SNAP
- Douglas County, MN · 6.0% 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.
Nebraska among West North Central states
Nebraska ranks 6th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.9%). Otoe County, at 71.8%, runs 49.9 pts above the Nebraska rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Otoe County, NE are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 31131. 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.