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Signature · 26 SNAP-authorized stores

Shelby County, IL

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Shelby 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).

21.4%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
14.0%
on SNAP
21K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

USDA FARA access plate

County Shelby County, IL

LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 21.4% low-access
  • PHOTO-FINISH -0.7 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 14.0% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA

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

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Shelby County ranks #1,572 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #53 of 102 counties in IL (21.4% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).

#1,572
national by low-access %
#53
in IL
2
low-access tracts
1K
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: 26 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Shelby County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Shelby County's 21.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,574 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Shelby County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Shelby County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (66.7%) 1 tracts limited (16.7%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 67% Limited 17% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Shelby County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Shelby 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.

Shelby County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, 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 Shelby County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)22,363
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population4,791
Low-Access Share21.4%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,335

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Shelby County
IndicatorValue
Population20,720
Median Household Income$72,095
Poverty Rate9.2%below the national average
SNAP Households1,245
SNAP Participation Rate14.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%

Thick SNAP store book in Shelby County

Shelby County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 13

  • casey's 2833, moweaqua
  • casey's general store 1642, tower hill
  • casey's general store 1672, windsor
  • casey's general store 1903, shelbyville
  • cowden marathon, cowden
  • findlay one stop, findlay
  • highland mart, strasburg
  • rj's hardware and rentals, herrick
  • shelbyville marathon 1, shelbyville
  • shelbyville moto 3124, shelbyville
  • shyam food mart, shelbyville
  • stewardson 66, stewardson
  • windsor fast stop 306, windsor

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs 6922, shelbyville
  • dollar general 1123, shelbyville
  • dollar general 16204, cowden
  • dollar general 17846, windsor
  • dollar general 23507, findlay
  • dollar general 23529, stewardson
  • dollar tree 8346, shelbyville
  • oconee chop shop, oconee
  • windsor food center, windsor

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • wades quality meats, shelbyville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • moweaqua packing plant inc, moweaqua

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • moweaqua food mart, moweaqua

Super Store · 1

  • walmart 4259, shelbyville

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.

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Shelby County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IL (21.4% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (14.0% 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, Illinois in context

Shelby County sits inside Illinois (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 Shelby County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17173. 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.