Signature · 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)

Sawyer County, WI

Sawyer County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 32.7% low-access.

32.7%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
13.7%
on SNAP
18K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 WI

USDA FARA access plate

County Sawyer County, WI

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 32.7% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +10.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 13.7% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.3% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Washington County (+ 0.3 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Sawyer County sits in the upper national band (32.7%, #764 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.

#764
national by low-access %
#12
in WI
4
low-access tracts
2K
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: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .

How Sawyer County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Sawyer County's 32.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #764 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Sawyer County's elevated USDA tier split

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Sawyer County, WI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (33.3%) 2 tracts limited (33.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 33% Limited 33% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Sawyer County, WI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Sawyer 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.

Sawyer County vs nearby high 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 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Sawyer County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)16,557
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population5,421
Low-Access Share32.7%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,811

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Sawyer County
IndicatorValue
Population18,476
Median Household Income$60,801
Poverty Rate15.6%near the national average
SNAP Households1,205
SNAP Participation Rate13.7%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.7%

SNAP retailers in Sawyer County

Sawyer County has 17 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 6 locations (35% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 6

  • exeland depot, exeland
  • hillman's callahan corner store llc n/a, hayward
  • holiday stationstore 2746028, hayward
  • holiday stationstore 2746036, hayward
  • kwik trip 1112, hayward
  • pops 203, radisson

Combination Grocery/Other · 5

  • dollar general 18814, hayward
  • dollar general 18984, stone lake
  • dollar general 20333, radisson
  • dollar tree 7334, hayward
  • walgreens 11857, hayward

Super Store · 2

  • marketplace foods 2583, hayward
  • walmart supercenter 3245, hayward

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • lco country store, hayward

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • lynns custom meat & catering, hayward

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • winter co-op, winter

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • millers market llc, hayward

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 Sawyer County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →

Counties near Sawyer County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Sawyer 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 (32.7% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (13.7% 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.

Sawyer County inside a higher low-access state context

Sawyer 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 Sawyer County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55113. 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.