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Signature · 5.8% low-access (12th pct)

Polk County, WI

Polk County lands in the lower national band on low-access (5.8%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

5.8%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
9.7%
on SNAP
46K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 WI

USDA FARA access plate

County Polk County, WI

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-ADEQUATE 5.8% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -16.3 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 9.7% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 3.7% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Oconto County (+ 0.8 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Polk County lands in the lower national band (5.8%, #2,771 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,771
national by low-access %
#69
in WI
1
low-access tracts
731
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 5.8% low-access (12th pct) (-16.3 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Polk County compares nationally

Food access in Polk County compares favorably nationally: its 5.8% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 12% of them (rank #2,771).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Polk County's lower-band USDA tier split

10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Polk County, WI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (90.0%) 1 tracts limited (10.0%) Adequate 90% Limited 10% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Polk County, WI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Polk County has 1 urban and 9 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.

Polk County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Polk County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)44,205
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population2,553
Low-Access Share5.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population731

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Polk County
IndicatorValue
Population45,555
Median Household Income$77,219
Poverty Rate8.2%well below the national average
SNAP Households1,900
SNAP Participation Rate9.7%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.7%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.1%

Thick SNAP store book in Polk County

Polk County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 19 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 19

  • amery bp 7844, amery
  • balsam lake 43, balsam lake
  • centuria stop, centuria
  • cushing 42, cushing
  • express lane 9518, amery
  • express lane 9522, turtle lake
  • frederic stop, frederic
  • holiday stationstore 2746192, saint croix falls
  • holiday stationstore 2746013, milltown
  • holiday stationstore 2746419, saint croix falls
  • holiday stationstore 2746485, frederic
  • jonzy market, balsam lake
  • kwik trip 1083, osceola
  • kwik trip 1137, saint croix falls
  • kwik trip 595, amery
  • luck 40, luck
  • osceola stop, osceola
  • osceola 44, osceola
  • st croix falls bp 7842, saint croix falls

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 11710, frederic
  • dollar general 16020, osceola
  • dollar general 24327, centuria
  • dollar general 24405, cushing
  • dollar general store 17048, luck
  • dollar tree 6171, amery
  • family dollar store 2443, amery
  • family dollar store 7435, balsam lake

Farmers' Market · 5

  • blackbrook farm, amery
  • osceola farmers market, osceola
  • polk/burnett farmers union, st. croix falls
  • polk/burnett farmers union, st croix falls
  • st. croix falls farmers market, saint croix falls

Super Store · 5

  • dick's fresh market, osceola
  • dicks fresh market, amery
  • marketplace foods 2581, saint croix falls
  • walmart supercenter 2421, saint croix falls
  • wayne's foods plus, luck

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • amery meat market, amery
  • van meter meats inc, luck

Supermarket · 2

  • amery express-save a lot, amery
  • nilssen, inc., clear lake

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphys wi063, saint croix falls

Food Buying Co-op · 1

  • natural alternative food co-op, luck

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • frederic grocery, frederic

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • dresser food & liquor, dresser

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.

Adams County
9.9% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Ashland County
28.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Barron County
17.8% low-access · 11.5% SNAP
Bayfield County
30.2% low-access · 11.6% SNAP
Brown County
25.0% low-access · 10.5% SNAP
Buffalo County
23.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Polk County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →

Counties near Polk County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Polk County, both outside Wisconsin so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside WI (5.8% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (9.7% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Polk County inside a lower low-access state context

Polk County sits inside Wisconsin (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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 Polk County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55095. 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.