County food-access profile · Missouri
Stoddard County, MO
Most of Stoddard County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 7.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 15.2%
- on SNAP
- 28K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
7.0% of Stoddard County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 957
- food-desert residents
- 3.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.1%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Stoddard County fares better than most: just 7.0% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 8 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 2,110 people who live far from a supermarket, and none of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Stoddard County compares nationally
Food access in Stoddard County compares favorably nationally: its 7.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 14% of them (rank #2,703).
Stoddard County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 8 census tracts in Stoddard County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Stoddard County vs. other Missouri counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri
- Stoddard 7
Stoddard County, MO
7 % low-access
- Adair
Adair County, MO
27.3 % low-access
- Andrew
Andrew County, MO
15.8 % low-access
- Atchison 5.1
Atchison County, MO
5.1 % low-access
- Audrain
Audrain County, MO
22.6 % low-access
- Barry
Barry County, MO
19.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 29,968 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,110 |
| Low-Access Share | 7.0%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 957 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 28,470 |
| Median Household Income | $57,957 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,759 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
About 15.2% of Stoddard County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 7.0% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,759 households here.
- 3.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $57,957 with a 15.1% poverty rate.
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 Stoddard County
below the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 2,110 residents, roughly 7.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 957 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 7 tracts (87.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Stoddard County
Stoddard County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 15
- ad hwy p66, dexter
- break time convenience 3135, dexter
- casey's 1562, bernie
- dexter one mile rd p66, dexter
- fast break, bernie
- gary's quick stop, dexter
- holloway gas mart, puxico
- lighthouse cc ministries inc, dexter
- m-n-p liquor #2 6, essex
- mo 4, bloomfield
- murphy usa 7692, dexter
- rampley general store & diner, bell city
- reliance 460 460, dexter
- reliance 518 518, dexter
- rhodes convenience stores 275, dexter
Combination Grocery/Other · 9
- dollar general 10838, bernie
- dollar general 20377, dexter
- dollar general 2196, dexter
- dollar general 499, advance
- dollar general 6572, puxico
- dollar general 9950, bloomfield
- dollar tree 7069, dexter
- family dollar 2388, dexter
- walgreens 15800, dexter
Super Store · 3
- harps food store 212, dexter
- harps food store 390, bernie
- walmart sc 30, dexter
Supermarket · 2
- food giant 596, advance
- food giant 597, bloomfield
Large Grocery Store · 1
- bjjk inc, puxico
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- southern custom meats, llc, dexter
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Missouri
Compare Stoddard County vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Food access nationally, Missouri in context
Stoddard County sits inside Missouri (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Stoddard County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Stoddard County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Stoddard County? ▼
Is Stoddard County a food desert? ▼
What share of Stoddard County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.