Signature · 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts)
Wheeler County, OR
Wheeler County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (100% of the book) alongside 100.0% low-access.
- 100.0%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 11.1%
- on SNAP
- 1K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Wheeler County, OR
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-SEVERE 100.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +77.9 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 100% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Gilliam County ( -45.4 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Wheeler County sits in the upper national band (100.0%, #48 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.
- #48
- national by low-access %
- #1
- in OR
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 736
- 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 (100% of tracts) .
How Wheeler County compares nationally
Wheeler County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 100.0% low-access share outpaces 98% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #48 most-affected nationwide.
Wheeler County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
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 Oregon, not a full county-board reprint
- Wheeler
Wheeler 100%
100 % low-access
- Gilliam
Gilliam 54.6%
54.6 % low-access
- Sherman
Sherman 47.8%
47.8 % low-access
- Lake
Lake 40.5%
40.5 % low-access
- Wasco
Wasco 40%
40 % low-access
- Tillamook 2.9
Tillamook 2.9%
2.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,441 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,441 |
| Low-Access Share | 100.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 736 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,485 |
| Median Household Income | $55,284 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 78 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
Slim SNAP store book in Wheeler County
Wheeler County has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 1 locations (33% of the total), followed by medium grocery store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 3 authorized stores; Fossil holds 33% of them. 2 of the 3 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Mitchell, Spray.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil | 1 | 1 |
| Mitchell | 1 | none |
| Spray | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 1
- lone elk marketplace, spray
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- fossil mercantile company, fossil
Small Grocery Store · 1
- wheeler county trading company, mitchell
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Oregon
One of 35 counties in Oregon, 6 are shown here.
Compare Wheeler County vs Baker County → · All Oregon counties →
Oregon among Pacific states
Oregon ranks 4th of 5 Pacific states by population-weighted low-access (16.9%). Wheeler County, at 100.0%, runs 83.1 pts above the Oregon rate.
- Alaska 30.9%
- Hawaii 26.7%
- Washington 23.1%
- Oregon 16.9%
- California 13.3%
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, OR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 41069. 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.