Signature · 67.1% low-access (97th pct)
Thomas County, KS
Thomas County sits in the upper national band on low-access (67.1%, +45 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 67.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 3.8%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Thomas County, KS
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 67.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +45.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 3.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Coffey County ( -8.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Thomas County sits in the upper national band (67.1%, #106 of 3,079).
- #106
- national by low-access %
- #5
- in KS
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 67.1% low-access (97th pct) (+45 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Thomas County compares nationally
Thomas County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 67.1% low-access share outpaces 97% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #106 most-affected nationwide.
Thomas County's elevated USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Thomas County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (1 rural, 1 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 1 urban tract faces the 1-mile one.
Thomas County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Kansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Clark
Clark 100%
100 % low-access
- Sherman
Sherman 78.3%
78.3 % low-access
- Thomas
Thomas 67.1%
67.1 % low-access
- Coffey
Coffey 59.1%
59.1 % low-access
- Riley
Riley 53.5%
53.5 % low-access
- Meade
Meade 51%
51 % low-access
- Jefferson 1.1
Jefferson 1.1%
1.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 7,900 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,300 |
| Low-Access Share | 67.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,395 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,885 |
| Median Household Income | $71,325 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.5%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 119 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.3% |
SNAP retailers in Thomas County
Thomas County has 9 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 9 authorized stores; Colby holds 89% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Oakley.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Colby | 8 | 2 |
| Oakley | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 4
- casey's 3894, colby
- colby 24/7 travel store 2, colby
- loves country store 61, colby
- pilot travel center 920, colby
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollartree 8510, colby
- dollar general 4470, colby
- dollar general 4690, oakley
Super Store · 2
- dillon store 050, colby
- walmart sc 1214, colby
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 Thomas County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →
Kansas among West North Central states
Kansas ranks 4th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (26.4%). Thomas County, at 67.1%, runs 40.7 pts above the Kansas rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Thomas County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20193. 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.