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Signature · 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)

Rice County, KS

Rice County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 25.5% low-access.

25.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
7.2%
on SNAP
9K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KS

USDA FARA access plate

County Rice County, KS

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 25.5% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.4 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-LIGHT 7.2% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 3.8% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Republic County ( -0.1 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Rice County ranks #1,253 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #60 of 105 counties in KS (25.5% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).

#1,253
national by low-access %
#60
in KS
2
low-access tracts
913
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: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .

How Rice County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Rice County's 25.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,256 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Rice County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Rice County, KS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 1 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 3 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts adequate (33.3%) 1 tracts limited (33.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 33% Limited 33% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Rice County, KS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Rice County has 1 urban and 2 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.

Rice County low-access neighbourhood

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

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Rice County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts3
Atlas Population (2010 basis)10,083
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population2,575
Low-Access Share25.5%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population913

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Rice County
IndicatorValue
Population9,350
Median Household Income$63,925
Poverty Rate7.7%well below the national average
SNAP Households269
SNAP Participation Rate7.2%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.3%

SNAP retailers in Rice County

Rice County has 9 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 4

  • casey's general store 3623, sterling
  • caseys general store 1890, lyons
  • lyons quick stop inc, lyons
  • yesway 1115, lyons

Combination Grocery/Other · 2

  • dollar general 11441, sterling
  • dollar general 3443, lyons

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • garden of eden, little river

Super Store · 1

  • dillon store 007, sterling

Supermarket · 1

  • white's foodliner 0957, lyons

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Kansas

One of 104 counties in Kansas, 6 are shown here.

Allen County
15.4% low-access · 9.3% SNAP
Anderson County
18.5% low-access · 5.2% SNAP
Atchison County
28.7% low-access · 10.9% SNAP
Barber County
11.5% low-access · 2.8% SNAP
Barton County
34.4% low-access · 7.0% SNAP
Bourbon County
27.5% low-access · 7.8% SNAP

Compare Rice County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →

Food access nationally, Kansas in context

Rice County sits inside Kansas (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 Rice County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20159. 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.