Signature · 2 LILA tracts (100% of tracts)
Ozark County, MO
Ozark County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (100% of the book) alongside 36.9% low-access.
- 36.9%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.7%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Ozark County, MO
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 36.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +14.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 100% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Henry County (+ 0.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Ozark County sits in the upper national band (36.9%, #521 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #521
- national by low-access %
- #16
- in MO
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (100% of tracts) .
How Ozark County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ozark County's 36.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 83% of them and ranked #521 most-affected nationwide.
Ozark County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 2 of Ozark County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Ozark County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Missouri, not a full county-board reprint
- Mercer
Mercer 99.8%
99.8 % low-access
- Shelby 38.5
Shelby 38.5%
38.5 % low-access
- Douglas 37.6
Douglas 37.6%
37.6 % low-access
- Platte 37.6
Platte 37.6%
37.6 % low-access
- Ozark 36.9
Ozark 36.9%
36.9 % low-access
- Henry 36.9
Henry 36.9%
36.9 % low-access
- Mississippi 3
Mississippi 3%
3 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,723 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,593 |
| Low-Access Share | 36.9%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,725 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,873 |
| Median Household Income | $44,163 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.5%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 547 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
SNAP retailers in Ozark County
Ozark County has 12 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 6 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 12 authorized stores; Gainesville holds 42% of them. 2 of the 4 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Bakersfield, Dora.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | 5 | 1 |
| Theodosia | 3 | 1 |
| Bakersfield | 2 | none |
| Dora | 2 | none |
Convenience Store · 6
- evans kwik stop, bakersfield
- hitch n' post, gainesville
- mo 227 mo 226, gainesville
- mo 225, theodosia
- mo 228, gainesville
- roys store, dora
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 15969, theodosia
- dollar general 20517, bakersfield
- dollar general 24491, dora
- dollar general 827, gainesville
Large Grocery Store · 1
- cash saver theodosia, theodosia
Supermarket · 1
- town & country 2422, gainesville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Missouri
One of 114 counties in Missouri, 6 are shown here.
Compare Ozark County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Missouri among West North Central states
Missouri ranks 5th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Ozark County, at 36.9%, runs 12.0 pts above the Missouri 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 Ozark County, MO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 29153. 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.