County food-access profile · Iowa
Palo Alto County, IA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Palo Alto 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).
- 24.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
24.4% of Palo Alto County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 673
- food-desert residents
- 3.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.6%
- 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 Palo Alto County's low-access share at 24.4%, above the national share. 2 of the county's 4 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 2,303 people. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Palo Alto County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Palo Alto County's 24.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 57% of them and ranked #1,341 most-affected nationwide.
Palo Alto County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 4 census tracts in Palo Alto County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Palo Alto County vs. other Iowa counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Iowa
- Palo Alto
Palo Alto County, IA
24.4 % low-access
- Adair 8
Adair County, IA
8 % low-access
- Adams 6.4
Adams County, IA
6.4 % low-access
- Allamakee
Allamakee County, IA
10.9 % low-access
- Appanoose
Appanoose County, IA
15.7 % low-access
- Audubon 7.4
Audubon County, IA
7.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,421 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,303 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.4%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 673 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,863 |
| Median Household Income | $72,781 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 380 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.7% |
About 10.0% of Palo Alto County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 24.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 380 households here.
- 3.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $72,781 with a 11.6% poverty rate.
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 Palo Alto County
above the national share
A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.
An estimated 2,303 residents, roughly 24.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 673 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 2 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Palo Alto County
Palo Alto County has 9 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 4
- caseys general store 1684, emmetsburg
- emmetsburg dollar fresh 7036, emmetsburg
- kwik star 1119, emmetsburg
- sparkys one stop 14, mallard
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 20972, graettinger
- dollar general 22491, ruthven
- dollar general 7054, emmetsburg
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- graettinger market, graettinger
Super Store · 1
- fareway stores, inc. 849, emmetsburg
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Iowa
Compare Palo Alto County vs Adair County → · All Iowa counties →
Food access nationally, Iowa in context
Palo Alto County sits inside Iowa (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Palo Alto County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Palo Alto County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Palo Alto County? ▼
Is Palo Alto County a food desert? ▼
What share of Palo Alto County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.