Signature · 5.8% SNAP (18th pct in IN)
Wells County, IN
Wells County sits in the upper national band on low-access (33.2%, +11.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 33.2%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 5.8%
- on SNAP
- 28K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Wells County, IN
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 33.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +11.1 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 14% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Jackson County ( -0.2 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Wells County sits in the upper national band (33.2%, #728 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.
- #728
- national by low-access %
- #16
- in IN
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- 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: 5.8% SNAP (18th pct in IN) (-6.3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Wells County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Wells County's 33.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #728 most-affected nationwide.
Wells County's elevated USDA tier split
7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Wells County has 4 urban and 3 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.
Wells County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Indiana, not a full county-board reprint
- Hendricks
Hendricks 51.5%
51.5 % low-access
- Dearborn
Dearborn 34.2%
34.2 % low-access
- Delaware
Delaware 34%
34 % low-access
- Wells
Wells 33.2%
33.2 % low-access
- Jackson
Jackson 33%
33 % low-access
- Marion
Marion 32.6%
32.6 % low-access
- Harrison 0
Harrison 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 27,636 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 9,186 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,503 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 28,420 |
| Median Household Income | $71,957 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 666 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.1%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
SNAP retailers in Wells County
Wells County has 14 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 6 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- cvs 6515, bluffton
- dollar general 2688, bluffton
- dollar general 7604, bluffton
- dollar general 861, ossian
- dollar tree 6129, bluffton
- walgreens 07472, bluffton
Convenience Store · 5
- b23 inc, bluffton
- lm95 inc, bluffton
- murphy usa 6505, bluffton
- ossian deli 8, ossian
- smart fuel, ossian
Super Store · 2
- kroger 414, bluffton
- walmart 2819, bluffton
Large Grocery Store · 1
- ginger fresh market llc hq, ossian
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Indiana
One of 91 counties in Indiana, 6 are shown here.
Compare Wells County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Counties near Wells County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Wells County (5.8%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Indiana.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IN (33.2% here).
- Christian County, KY · 33.2% low-access
- Christian County, KY · 33.2% low-access
- Walton County, GA · 33.2% low-access
- Walton County, GA · 33.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IN (5.8% here).
- Kodiak Island Borough, AK · 5.8% SNAP
- Kodiak Island Borough, AK · 5.8% SNAP
- Currituck County, NC · 5.8% SNAP
- Currituck County, NC · 5.8% 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.
Wells County inside a higher low-access state context
Wells County sits inside Indiana (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 Wells County, IN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 18179. 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.