Signature · 1 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)

Washington County, KS

Washington County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 50.7% low-access.

50.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
5.4%
on SNAP
6K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KS

USDA FARA access plate

County Washington County, KS

LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-SEVERE 50.7% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +28.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-LIGHT 5.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 2.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Meade County (+ 0.3 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Washington County sits in the upper national band (50.7%, #198 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.

#198
national by low-access %
#9
in KS
2
low-access tracts
898
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: 1 LILA tracts (50% of tracts) .

How Washington County compares nationally

Washington County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 50.7% low-access share outpaces 94% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #198 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Washington County's elevated USDA tier split

2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Washington County, KS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 0 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 2 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts limited (50.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 0% Limited 50% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Washington County, KS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 0 urban and 2 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.

Washington County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Kansas, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts2
Atlas Population (2010 basis)5,799
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population2,942
Low-Access Share50.7%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population898

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Population5,533
Median Household Income$65,482
Poverty Rate9.3%below the national average
SNAP Households128
SNAP Participation Rate5.4%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.2%

SNAP retailers in Washington County

Washington County has 6 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 3

  • casey's 2713, washington
  • main street market, hanover
  • short stop 25, washington

Combination Grocery/Other · 1

  • dollar general 12288, washington

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • kiers thriftway, washington

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • ts grocery, clifton

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 Washington County vs Allen County → · All Kansas counties →

Washington County inside a higher low-access state context

Washington County sits inside Kansas (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 Washington County, KS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 20201. 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.