Signature · 4 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Union County, AR
Union County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 28.2% low-access.
- 28.2%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 9.4%
- on SNAP
- 38K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Union County, AR
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 28.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.4% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Monroe County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Union County ranks #1,072 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #29 of 75 counties in AR (28.2% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,072
- national by low-access %
- #29
- in AR
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- 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: 4 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Union County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Union County's 28.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 66% of them and ranked #1,073 most-affected nationwide.
Union County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Union County has 5 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.
Union County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- Newton
Newton 28.9%
28.9 % low-access
- Monroe
Monroe 28.3%
28.3 % low-access
- Union
Union 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Jackson
Jackson 27.4%
27.4 % low-access
- Johnson
Johnson 27.3%
27.3 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 10 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 41,639 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 11,733 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,081 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 37,900 |
| Median Household Income | $55,259 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,414 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.4%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
Thick SNAP store book in Union County
Union County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 15 locations (50% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 15
- dollar general 19000, el dorado
- dollar general 2797, el dorado
- dollar general 7062, smackover
- dollar general 745, el dorado
- dollar general 11579, el dorado
- dollar general 11866, strong
- dollar general 11868, junction city
- dollar general 17231, el dorado
- dollar general 22817, el dorado
- dollar general 23992, el dorado
- dollar general 25471, el dorado
- dollar general 25604, el dorado
- dollar tree 2738, el dorado
- family dollar 1467, el dorado
- walgreens 10198, el dorado
Convenience Store · 8
- a rainbow, el dorado
- e-z mart 4241, el dorado
- huttig super store, huttig
- la ranchera, el dorado
- murphy usa 7520, el dorado
- sal's place, el dorado
- toms one stop, huttig
- wildwood gas & deli 5909, el dorado
Supermarket · 3
- brookshire food store 40, el dorado
- brookshire food store 48, el dorado
- mac's fresh market 9, el dorado
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- dollar saver market, strong
- mc donalds grocery, junction city
Seafood Specialty · 1
- cooks seafood, el dorado
Super Store · 1
- walmart 530, el dorado
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Union County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Nationwide peers for Union County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Union County, both outside Arkansas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AR (28.2% here).
- Gila County, AZ · 28.2% low-access
- Gila County, AZ · 28.2% low-access
- Thomas County, GA · 28.2% low-access
- Thomas County, GA · 28.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AR (9.4% here).
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK · 9.4% SNAP
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK · 9.4% SNAP
- Brevard County, FL · 9.4% SNAP
- Brevard County, FL · 9.4% SNAP
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, Arkansas in context
Union County sits inside Arkansas (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 Union County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05139. 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.