Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)

Seward County, KS

Seward County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 15.6% low-access.

15.6%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
9.8%
on SNAP
21K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KS

USDA FARA access plate

County Seward County, KS

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-MODERATE 15.6% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -6.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 9.8% SNAP
  • VEH-GAP 9.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Edwards County (+ 0.1 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Seward County ranks #2,071 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #90 of 105 counties in KS (15.6% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).

#2,071
national by low-access %
#90
in KS
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: 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .

How Seward County compares nationally

Seward County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.6% low-access share that beats 34% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,071).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Seward County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Seward County, KS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 20% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Seward County, KS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Seward County has 4 urban and 1 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.

Seward 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 Seward County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)22,952
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population3,591
Low-Access Share15.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,763

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Seward County
IndicatorValue
Population21,486
Median Household Income$63,827
Poverty Rate12.2%below the national average
SNAP Households711
SNAP Participation Rate9.8%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.6%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.7%

SNAP retailers in Seward County

Seward County has 24 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 10 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 10

  • asian market, liberal
  • casey's 3950, liberal
  • casey's general store 3902, liberal
  • circle k 2709250, liberal
  • circle k 2709255, liberal
  • love's travel stop 632, liberal
  • loves country store 24, liberal
  • toot'n totum 120, liberal
  • toot'n totum 122, liberal
  • u pump it 219, liberal

Combination Grocery/Other · 5

  • braums 279, liberal
  • dollar general 25553, liberal
  • dollar general 3436, liberal
  • dollar tree 2309, liberal
  • walgreens 10722, liberal

Super Store · 3

  • dillon store 073, liberal
  • el rancho 1642, liberal
  • walmart sc 0799, liberal

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • carniceria la canasta llc, liberal
  • fruteria ojinaga, liberal

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • mi ranchito, liberal
  • tortilleria tapacolmes llc, liberal

Farmers' Market · 1

  • farmers market in liberal, ks nafmnp, liberal

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • hat creek butchery retail, liberal

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.

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

Nationwide peers for Seward County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Seward County, both outside Kansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside KS (15.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside KS (9.8% 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.

Food access nationally, Kansas in context

Seward County sits inside Kansas (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 Seward County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20175. 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.