Signature · 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of tracts)
Vernon County, WI
Vernon County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of the book) alongside 15.9% low-access.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 9.1%
- on SNAP
- 31K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Vernon County, WI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 15.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.1% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 9.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 29% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Washburn County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Vernon County ranks #2,046 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #42 of 71 counties in WI (15.9% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #2,046
- national by low-access %
- #42
- in WI
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (28.6% of tracts) .
How Vernon County compares nationally
Vernon County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Vernon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Vernon County has 1 urban and 6 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.
Vernon County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Pierce 16.8
Pierce 16.8%
16.8 % low-access
- Vernon 15.9
Vernon 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Washburn 15.8
Washburn 15.8%
15.8 % low-access
- Lafayette 15.3
Lafayette 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Door 14.7
Door 14.7%
14.7 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 29,773 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,720 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,801 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 31,049 |
| Median Household Income | $71,893 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,127 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.1%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.1%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Vernon County
Vernon County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 9 locations (35% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 9
- joe blow's 101, readstown
- kwik trip 308, stoddard
- kwik trip 758, viroqua
- kwik trip 841, hillsboro
- kwik trip 846, coon valley
- kick a poo kwik stop, readstown
- kwik trip 757, viroqua
- pronto, de soto
- viola quick stop, viola
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 6867, westby
- dollar general 6914, hillsboro
- dollar general 24518, la farge
- dollar tree 6255, viroqua
- mr. b's smokehouse meats, llc, hillsboro
- walgreens 10301, viroqua
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- jams2, la forge
- organic valley retail store, la farge
- whitaker's market, hillsboro
Super Store · 3
- hansen's iga - westby 3, westby
- viroqua food cooperative, viroqua
- walmart 971, viroqua
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 64114, viroqua
- hillsboro county market, hillsboro
- quillins inc. awg 18, viroqua
Farmers' Market · 1
- viroqua farmers market, viroqua
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- westby locker & meats, westby
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare Vernon County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for Vernon County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Vernon County, both outside Wisconsin so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WI (15.9% here).
- Chester County, SC · 15.9% low-access
- Chester County, SC · 15.9% low-access
- Providence County, RI · 15.9% low-access
- Providence County, RI · 15.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (9.1% here).
- Greene County, VA · 9.1% SNAP
- Greene County, VA · 9.1% SNAP
- Ward County, TX · 9.1% SNAP
- Ward County, TX · 9.1% 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, Wisconsin in context
Vernon County sits inside Wisconsin (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 Vernon County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55123. 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.