Signature · 9.7% SNAP (14th pct in MS)
Pontotoc County, MS
Pontotoc 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.
- 16.3%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 9.7%
- on SNAP
- 32K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Pontotoc County, MS
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 16.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.8 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Noxubee County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Pontotoc County ranks #2,005 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #51 of 80 counties in MS (16.3% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #2,005
- national by low-access %
- #51
- in MS
- 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: 9.7% SNAP (14th pct in MS) (-2.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Pontotoc County compares nationally
Pontotoc County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.3% low-access share that beats 36% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,006).
Pontotoc County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Pontotoc County has 1 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.
Pontotoc County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Jefferson Dav… 16.6
Jefferson Dav… 16.6%
16.6 % low-access
- Pontotoc 16.3
Pontotoc 16.3%
16.3 % low-access
- Noxubee 16.1
Noxubee 16.1%
16.1 % low-access
- Newton 16
Newton 16%
16 % low-access
- Tunica 15.5
Tunica 15.5%
15.5 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 29,957 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,882 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,847 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 31,550 |
| Median Household Income | $51,484 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,150 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.2%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Pontotoc County
Pontotoc County has 28 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 13 locations (46% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 13
- cvs pharmacy 7065, pontotoc
- dollar general 1301, pontotoc
- dollar general 9242, ecru
- dollartree 8181, pontotoc
- dollar general 11943, thaxton
- dollar general 14904, pontotoc
- dollar general 20155, pontotoc
- dollar general 21333, randolph
- dollar general 24105, pontotoc
- dollar general 24945, pontotoc
- dollar general 25744, ecru
- dollar general 25847, pontotoc
- mccoy's grocery inc, ecru
Convenience Store · 8
- bankhead grocery llc, pontotoc
- circle k 2721539, pontotoc
- circle k 2721541, pontotoc
- endville express llc, belden
- highway 6 & 9 travel center llc, pontotoc
- murphy usa 7345, pontotoc
- randolph express llc, pontotoc
- springville grocery llc, pontotoc
Super Store · 2
- save-a-lot, pontotoc
- walmart supercenter 164, pontotoc
Farmers' Market · 1
- pontotoc farmers' market, pontotoc
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- 3-eagles produce, inc., pontotoc
Large Grocery Store · 1
- red line markets, sherman
Small Grocery Store · 1
- la chapina 1, pontotoc
Supermarket · 1
- piggly wiggly of pontotoc, pontotoc
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Pontotoc County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Pontotoc County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Pontotoc County (9.7%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Mississippi.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (16.3% here).
- Sherburne County, MN · 16.3% low-access
- Sherburne County, MN · 16.3% low-access
- Jefferson County, FL · 16.3% low-access
- Jefferson County, FL · 16.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (9.7% here).
- Houghton County, MI · 9.7% SNAP
- Houghton County, MI · 9.7% SNAP
- Charles County, MD · 9.7% SNAP
- Charles County, MD · 9.7% 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, Mississippi in context
Pontotoc County sits inside Mississippi (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 Pontotoc County, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28115. 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.