Signature · 9.9% SNAP (81st pct in NE)
Phelps County, NE
Phelps County stands out on SNAP (9.9%, -2.2 pts vs U.S.) with 22.3% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 22.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 9.9%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Phelps County, NE
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 22.3% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.2 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Cuming County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Phelps County ranks #1,502 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #57 of 93 counties in NE (22.3% low-access).
- #1,502
- national by low-access %
- #57
- in NE
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 422
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 9.9% SNAP (81st pct in NE) (-2.2 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Phelps County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Phelps County's 22.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,503 most-affected nationwide.
Phelps County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Phelps County has 2 urban and 1 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.
Phelps County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Nebraska, not a full county-board reprint
- Thomas
Thomas 100%
100 % low-access
- Phelps 22.3
Phelps 22.3%
22.3 % low-access
- Cuming 22.2
Cuming 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Fillmore 22.2
Fillmore 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Cheyenne 21.5
Cheyenne 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- Washington 20.4
Washington 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Burt 0.7
Burt 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,188 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,048 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 422 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,009 |
| Median Household Income | $68,919 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 389 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.9%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
SNAP retailers in Phelps County
Phelps County has 9 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (33% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 3
- casey's 1606, holdrege
- casey's 1800, holdrege
- pump & pantry 23, holdrege
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 4957, holdrege
- family dollar 4603, holdrege
Super Store · 2
- family fare 3720, holdrege
- hy-vee 1245, holdrege
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- fritzs meat, holdrege
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- cross country market, bertrand
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 Phelps County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Food access nationally, Nebraska in context
Phelps County sits inside Nebraska (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 Phelps County, NE are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 31137. 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.