PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Minnesota

Scott County, MN

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Scott County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

29.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
4.5%
on SNAP
155K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MN

The food-access picture

29.1% of Scott County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

12
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
3.1%
households, no vehicle
4.6%
below poverty line

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, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts Scott County's low-access share at 29.1%, above the national share. 12 of the county's 21 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 37,785 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,552 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How Scott County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Scott County's 29.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #999 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Scott County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 21 census tracts in Scott County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Scott County, MN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 11 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 21 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (42.9%) 11 tracts limited (52.4%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (4.8%) Adequate 43% Limited 52% Severe 5% Food-access tier distribution: Scott County, MN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Scott County vs. other Minnesota counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Minnesota

% 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 Scott County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts21
Atlas Population (2010 basis)129,928
Low-Access Tracts12
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population37,785
Low-Access Share29.1%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,552

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Scott County
IndicatorValue
Population154,557
Median Household Income$119,314
Poverty Rate4.6%well below the national average
SNAP Households2,463
SNAP Participation Rate4.5%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.1%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%
SNAP participation in Scott County 4.5%

About 4.5% of Scott County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 29.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 4.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,463 households here.
  • 3.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Scott County

above the national share

1 of Scott County's 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.8% of all its tracts.

A further 11 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.

An estimated 37,785 residents, roughly 29.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,552 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Scott County

Scott County has 69 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 33

  • casey's 2399, new prague
  • casey's 4322, belle plaine
  • holiday stationstore 2746083, shakopee
  • holiday stationstore 2746246, shakopee
  • holiday stationstores 2746330, savage
  • holiday stationstores 2746391, prior lake
  • holiday stationstore 2746198, prior lake
  • holiday stationstore 2746250, shakopee
  • holiday stationstore 2746339, shakopee
  • holiday stationstore 2746364, shakopee
  • holiday stationstore 2746397, new prague
  • holiday stationstore 2746439, jordan
  • holiday stationstore 2746513, savage
  • holiday stationstore 2746557, shakopee
  • hy-vee c-store 1559, savage
  • hy-vee gas 5562, shakopee
  • kwik trip 441, shakopee
  • kwik trip 447, shakopee
  • kwik trip 663, savage
  • kwik trip 1090, new prague
  • kwik trip 1116, elko new market
  • kwik trip 281, prior lake
  • kwik trip 330, belle plaine
  • kwik trip 926, new prague
  • speedway 4491, savage
  • speedway 4546, shakopee
  • speedway 4551, savage
  • speedway 4552, savage
  • speedway 4799, new prague
  • speedway 8510, shakopee
  • super usa savage, savage
  • superamerica # 4035 4035, shakopee
  • top star market llc, shakopee

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs 3344, shakopee
  • dollar general 10811, shakopee
  • dollartree 8678, savage
  • dollar general 22961, shakopee
  • dollar general 30311, belle plaine
  • dollartree 6303, shakopee
  • l & f grocery & dollar store, savage
  • marshall store llc, shakopee
  • shakopee market llc n/a, shakopee
  • von hanson's meats of savage, savage
  • von hanson's meats of shakopee, shakopee
  • walgreens 04879, savage
  • walgreens 06489, shakopee
  • walgreens 12972, new prague

Super Store · 11

  • coborn's 2038, new prague
  • coborn's 2042, belle plaine
  • cub foods 31354, shakopee
  • fresh thyme market 506sge, savage
  • hy-vee 1559, savage
  • hy-vee 1562, shakopee
  • radermachers fresh market, jordan
  • sam's club 6311, shakopee
  • target store 1272, shakopee
  • target store 1833, savage
  • walmart 3513, shakopee

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 52, shakopee
  • asian direct market savage inc, savage
  • cub foods 1640, savage
  • lunds & byerlys 51017, prior lake

Bakery Specialty · 3

  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza mn009, savage
  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza mn017, shakopee
  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza mn104, new prague

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • los ranchos market, shakopee
  • mz market, shakopee

Farmers' Market · 1

  • new prague farmers market, new prague

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • supermercado la loma, savage

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Minnesota

Aitkin County
33.8% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Anoka County
38.3% low-access · 7.2% SNAP
Becker County
34.5% low-access · 11.6% SNAP
Beltrami County
32.3% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Benton County
30.0% low-access · 8.6% SNAP
Big Stone County
38.4% low-access · 9.5% SNAP

Compare Scott County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →

Food access nationally, Minnesota in context

Scott County sits inside Minnesota (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; 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

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Scott County has low food access? ▼
29.1% of residents in Scott County, MN live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Scott County? ▼
4.5% of households in Scott County receive SNAP, covering 2,463 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Scott County? ▼
The poverty rate in Scott County, MN is 4.6%, with a median household income of $119,314 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Scott County a food desert? ▼
1 of Scott County's 21 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Scott County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.1% of households in Scott County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

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.