Signature · 9.1% SNAP (10th pct in IL)
Pope County, IL
Pope County sits in the upper national band on low-access (29.1%, +7 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 29.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 9.1%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Pope County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 29.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +7.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Iroquois County (+ 0.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Pope County sits in the upper national band (29.1%, #994 of 3,079).
- #994
- national by low-access %
- #34
- in IL
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 479
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 9.1% SNAP (10th pct in IL) (-3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Pope County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Pope County's 29.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #994 most-affected nationwide.
Pope County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Pope County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Pope County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- McDonough
McDonough 29.9%
29.9 % low-access
- Coles
Coles 29.2%
29.2 % low-access
- Pope
Pope 29.1%
29.1 % low-access
- Iroquois
Iroquois 29.1%
29.1 % low-access
- Grundy
Grundy 28.4%
28.4 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,470 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,301 |
| Low-Access Share | 29.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 479 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,739 |
| Median Household Income | $60,050 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 126 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.1%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
Slim SNAP store book in Pope County
Pope County has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 1 locations (33% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 3 authorized stores are in Golconda, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- dollar general 15621, golconda
Convenience Store · 1
- golconda gas n go, golconda
Large Grocery Store · 1
- cornerstone grocery, golconda
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Pope County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Pope County, at 29.1%, runs 8.9 pts above the Illinois rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Pope County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17151. 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.