County food-access profile · Arkansas
Van Buren County, AR
Van Buren County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 10.4%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 10.7%
- on SNAP
- 16K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
10.4% of Van Buren County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 6.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 19.1%
- 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).
Van Buren County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.4% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 1,799 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,164 low-income residents.
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 Van Buren County compares nationally
Van Buren County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.4% low-access share that beats 21% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,461).
Van Buren County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Van Buren County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Van Buren County vs. other Arkansas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arkansas
- Van Buren 10.4
Van Buren County, AR
10.4 % low-access
- Arkansas
Arkansas County, AR
47 % low-access
- Ashley
Ashley County, AR
21.8 % low-access
- Baxter 16.4
Baxter County, AR
16.4 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, AR
24.9 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, AR
20.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 17,295 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,799 |
| Low-Access Share | 10.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,164 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 15,998 |
| Median Household Income | $50,354 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 795 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
About 10.7% of Van Buren County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 10.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 795 households here.
- 6.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
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 Van Buren County
near the national share
2 of Van Buren County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 1,799 residents, roughly 10.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,164 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Van Buren County
Van Buren County has 10 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 4 locations (40% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 8025, fairfield bay
- dollartree 9740, clinton
- dollar general 15678, bee branch
- dollar general 3979, clinton
Convenience Store · 3
- casey's general store 3628, clinton
- murphy usa 6678, clinton
- raj gasoline and deli, clinton
Super Store · 3
- clinton cash saver, clinton
- harps food store 520, shirley
- walmart supercenter 788, clinton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Arkansas
Compare Van Buren County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Food access nationally, Arkansas in context
Van Buren County sits inside Arkansas (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 Van Buren County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Van Buren County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Van Buren County? ▼
Is Van Buren County a food desert? ▼
What share of Van Buren 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.