Signature · 15.8% low-access (34th pct)
Washburn County, WI
Washburn 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.
- 15.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 11.5%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washburn County, WI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.8% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.3 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Vernon County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Washburn County ranks #2,054 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #43 of 71 counties in WI (15.8% low-access).
- #2,054
- national by low-access %
- #43
- in WI
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 726
- 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: 15.8% low-access (34th pct) (-6.3 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Washburn County compares nationally
Washburn County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.8% low-access share that beats 34% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,054).
Washburn County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 5 of Washburn County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Washburn 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 | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 15,911 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,518 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 726 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,854 |
| Median Household Income | $63,441 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 873 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.5%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
SNAP retailers in Washburn County
Washburn County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 6 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 15 authorized stores; Spooner holds 47% of them. 1 of the 4 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Birchwood.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Spooner | 7 | 1 |
| Minong | 4 | 1 |
| Shell Lake | 3 | 1 |
| Birchwood | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 6
- holiday stationstore 2746014, spooner
- kwik trip 329, spooner
- kwik trip 1164, spooner
- minong 36, minong
- synergy cooperative shell lake 90080, shell lake
- victory lane minong, minong
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 13563, spooner
- dollar general 17794, shell lake
- dollar general 23731, birchwood
- dollar general store 12512, minong
- dollar tree 8030, spooner
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- al's market, shell lake
Small Grocery Store · 1
- north crossing foods, spooner
Super Store · 1
- schmitz's economart, spooner
Supermarket · 1
- henson's country foods, minong
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 Washburn County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for Washburn County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Washburn 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 (15.8% here).
- Hardy County, WV · 15.8% low-access
- Lampasas County, TX · 15.8% low-access
- Stewart County, TN · 15.8% low-access
- Randolph County, MO · 15.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (11.5% here).
- Humphreys County, TN · 11.5% SNAP
- Georgetown County, SC · 11.5% SNAP
- Paulding County, OH · 11.5% SNAP
- Prentiss County, MS · 11.5% 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.
Wisconsin among East North Central states
Wisconsin ranks 4th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.4%). Washburn County, at 15.8%, runs 5.6 pts below the Wisconsin rate.
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 Washburn County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55129. 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.