Signature · 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts)

Ouachita County, AR

Ouachita County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of the book) alongside 34.7% low-access.

34.7%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
14.8%
on SNAP
22K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AR

USDA FARA access plate

County Ouachita County, AR

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 34.7% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +12.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 14.8% SNAP
  • VEH-GAP 9.8% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 67% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Sharp County (+ 0.0 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Ouachita County sits in the upper national band (34.7%, #609 of 3,079) with 4 LILA tracts.

#609
national by low-access %
#11
in AR
6
low-access tracts
5K
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: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts) .

How Ouachita County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ouachita County's 34.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 80% of them and ranked #612 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Ouachita County's elevated USDA tier split

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Ouachita County, AR USDA-defined food-access tiers: 0 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts limited (33.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (66.7%) Adequate 0% Limited 33% Severe 67% Food-access tier distribution: Ouachita County, AR
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Ouachita County has 3 urban and 3 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.

Ouachita County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint

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

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Ouachita County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)26,120
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population9,054
Low-Access Share34.7%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,741

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Ouachita County
IndicatorValue
Population22,085
Median Household Income$49,268
Poverty Rate18.9%above the national average
SNAP Households1,279
SNAP Participation Rate14.8%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.8%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.6%

SNAP retailers in Ouachita County

Ouachita County has 25 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 11

  • bearden travel center, bearden
  • express lane, camden
  • kc's kwik stop, camden
  • littlefield express 918, camden
  • littlefield express 920, camden
  • littlefield express 921, camden
  • littlefield express 922, camden
  • littlefieldexpress #19 919, camden
  • maverik 5356, fayetteville
  • murphy usa 7473, camden
  • stephens pitstop, stephens

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 0980, camden
  • dollar general 1060, camden
  • dollar general 15002, bearden
  • dollar general 16259, camden
  • dollar general 17522, stephens
  • dollar general 22204, chidester
  • dollar general 22437, camden
  • dollar tree 4746, camden

Supermarket · 4

  • mac's cash saver 16, camden
  • mac's cash saver 17, camden
  • southern market 386, camden
  • super 1 foods 651, camden

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • bottom dollar mercantile, bearden

Super Store · 1

  • walmart 171, camden

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Arkansas

One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.

Compare Ouachita County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →

Counties near Ouachita County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Ouachita County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside AR (34.7% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (14.8% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Ouachita County inside a higher low-access state context

Ouachita County sits inside Arkansas (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 Ouachita County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05103. 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.