Signature · 5.9% SNAP (6th pct in WI)
Pierce County, WI
Pierce 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.
- 16.8%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 5.9%
- on SNAP
- 43K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Pierce County, WI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 16.8% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.3 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Waushara County (+ 0.9 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Pierce County ranks #1,964 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #41 of 71 counties in WI (16.8% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,964
- national by low-access %
- #41
- in WI
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 5.9% SNAP (6th pct in WI) (-6.2 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Pierce County compares nationally
Pierce County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.8% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,967).
Pierce County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
8 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Pierce County has 3 urban and 5 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.
Pierce County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Barron 17.8
Barron 17.8%
17.8 % low-access
- Waushara 17.7
Waushara 17.7%
17.7 % low-access
- Pierce 16.8
Pierce 16.8%
16.8 % low-access
- Vernon 15.9
Vernon 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Washburn 15.8
Washburn 15.8%
15.8 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 41,019 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,912 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,564 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 42,584 |
| Median Household Income | $92,109 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 934 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.9%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Pierce County
Pierce County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 13
- 35 express, maiden rock
- 63 express, hager city
- express lane 9509, ellsworth
- express lane 9521, prescott
- handy mart 1046, bay city
- holiday stationstore 2746008, river falls
- holiday stationstore 2746476, prescott
- holiday stationstore 2746481, ellsworth
- kwik trip 301, river falls
- kwik trip 1104, river falls
- kwik trip 1131, prescott
- refuel pantry-bay city, bay city
- team travel center, spring valley
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- dollar general 6482, river falls
- dollartree 10293, prescott
- dollar general 21568, plum city
- dollar general 23070, bay city
- dollar general 24530, elmwood
- dollar general store 16734, prescott
- dollar tree 7461, river falls
- family dollar 9220, spring valley
- family dollar store 2637, ellsworth
- sailer's food market and meat processing, elmwood
Super Store · 3
- family fresh market 322, river falls
- ptacek's iga, prescott
- ptaceks family market 1, river falls
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- a butchery shoppe, spring valley
- whole earth grocery, river falls
Large Grocery Store · 1
- nilssen's foods, ellsworth
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 72049, river falls
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare Pierce County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for Pierce County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Pierce County (5.9%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Wisconsin.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WI (16.8% here).
- Box Elder County, UT · 16.8% low-access
- Box Elder County, UT · 16.8% low-access
- Zapata County, TX · 16.8% low-access
- Zapata County, TX · 16.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (5.9% here).
- Rockingham County, VA · 5.9% SNAP
- Rockingham County, VA · 5.9% SNAP
- Cheatham County, TN · 5.9% SNAP
- Cheatham County, TN · 5.9% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Wisconsin in context
Pierce County sits inside Wisconsin (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 Pierce County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55093. 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.