PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Missouri

Pettis County, MO

Pettis County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

16.1%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
11.4%
on SNAP
43K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MO

The food-access picture

16.1% of Pettis County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
7.3%
households, no vehicle
15.6%
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).

Pettis County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 16.1% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,792 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,652 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 Pettis County compares nationally

Pettis County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.1% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,023).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Pettis County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Pettis 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 Pettis County, MO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (54.5%) 1 tracts limited (9.1%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (36.4%) Adequate 55% Limited 9% Severe 36% Food-access tier distribution: Pettis County, MO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Pettis County vs. other Missouri counties

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

% 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 Pettis County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)42,201
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population6,792
Low-Access Share16.1%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,652

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Pettis County
IndicatorValue
Population43,397
Median Household Income$60,430
Poverty Rate15.6%near the national average
SNAP Households1,941
SNAP Participation Rate11.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.2%
SNAP participation in Pettis County 11.4%

About 11.4% of Pettis County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 16.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,941 households here.
  • 7.3% 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 Pettis County

near the national share

4 of Pettis County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 36.4% 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 6,792 residents, roughly 16.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,652 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (54.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Pettis County

Pettis County has 42 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 24 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 24

  • break time 3167, sedalia
  • break time convenience 3079, sedalia
  • break time convenience 3083, sedalia
  • break time convenience 3084, sedalia
  • casey's 4277, sedalia
  • casey's 1052, sedalia
  • casey's 1063, sedalia
  • casey's 1087, la monte
  • casey's 1449, green ridge
  • casey's 1601, sedalia
  • casey's 2347, sedalia
  • casey's general store 3257, sedalia
  • corona market, la monte
  • galaxy convenience, la monte
  • jay maa inc dba ez-go, sedalia
  • jiffy stop food mart 591, sedalia
  • kempf's custom butchering, sedalia
  • muddy creek eagle stop 13, sedalia
  • murphy usa 5783, sedalia
  • prime favtrip 1, sedalia
  • prime time, sedalia
  • sedalia 66, sedalia
  • temp stop 103, sedalia
  • tiger eagle stop 28, sedalia

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs 10305, sedalia
  • dollar general 19535, sedalia
  • dollar general 22060, la monte
  • dollar general 2379, sedalia
  • dollar general 2787, sedalia
  • dollar general 3494, sedalia
  • dollar general store 1316, sedalia
  • dollar tree 2225, sedalia
  • walgreens 7428, sedalia

Super Store · 3

  • walmart sc 219, sedalia
  • woods supermarket 2493, sedalia
  • woods supermarket 470, sedalia

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • kempf's country market, sedalia
  • maksims market, sedalia

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's take n bake pizza mo-041, sedalia

Farmers' Market · 1

  • sedalia area farmers market, sedalia

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • teremok european market llc, sedalia

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 46088, sedalia

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Missouri

Adair County
27.3% low-access · 9.0% SNAP
Andrew County
15.8% low-access · 4.9% SNAP
Atchison County
5.1% low-access · 5.8% SNAP
Audrain County
22.6% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Barry County
19.7% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Barton County
56.5% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Pettis County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →

Food access nationally, Missouri in context

Pettis County sits inside Missouri (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 Pettis County has low food access? ▼
16.1% of residents in Pettis County, MO 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 Pettis County? ▼
11.4% of households in Pettis County receive SNAP, covering 1,941 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Pettis County? ▼
The poverty rate in Pettis County, MO is 15.6%, with a median household income of $60,430 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Pettis County a food desert? ▼
4 of Pettis County's 11 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 Pettis County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.3% of households in Pettis 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.