Signature · 89.1% low-access (97th pct)
Wheeler County, NE
Wheeler County sits in the upper national band on low-access (89.1%, +67 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 89.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 2.8%
- on SNAP
- 847
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Wheeler County, NE
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 89.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +67.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 2.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Hitchcock County (+ 5.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Wheeler County sits in the upper national band (89.1%, #83 of 3,079).
- #83
- national by low-access %
- #10
- in NE
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 256
- 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: 89.1% low-access (97th pct) (+67 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Wheeler County compares nationally
Wheeler County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 89.1% low-access share outpaces 97% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #83 most-affected nationwide.
Wheeler County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 1 of Wheeler 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.
Wheeler County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Nebraska, not a full county-board reprint
- Thomas
Thomas 100%
100 % low-access
- Arthur
Arthur 100%
100 % low-access
- Keya Paha
Keya Paha 99.9%
99.9 % low-access
- Banner
Banner 98.5%
98.5 % low-access
- Hitchcock
Hitchcock 95%
95 % low-access
- Wheeler
Wheeler 89.1%
89.1 % low-access
- Burt 0.7
Burt 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 818 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 729 |
| Low-Access Share | 89.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 256 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 847 |
| Median Household Income | $70,250 |
| Poverty Rate | 5.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 10 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 2.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.6%well below the national average |
Other Counties in Nebraska
One of 92 counties in Nebraska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Wheeler County vs Adams County → · All Nebraska counties →
Nebraska among West North Central states
Nebraska ranks 6th of 7 West North Central states by population-weighted low-access (21.9%). Wheeler County, at 89.1%, runs 67.2 pts above the Nebraska rate.
- South Dakota 29.1%
- North Dakota 28.9%
- Minnesota 27.4%
- Kansas 26.4%
- Missouri 24.9%
- Nebraska 21.9%
- Iowa 20.0%
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 Wheeler County, NE are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 31183. 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.