PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Arkansas

White County, AR

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of White County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

23.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
11.5%
on SNAP
78K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AR

The food-access picture

23.6% of White County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
17.5%
below poverty line

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, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts White County's low-access share at 23.6%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 13 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 18,206 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,029 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How White County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, White County's 23.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 56% of them and ranked #1,393 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

White County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 census tracts in White County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for White County, AR USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (53.8%) 5 tracts limited (38.5%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (7.7%) Adequate 54% Limited 38% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: White County, AR
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

White County vs. other Arkansas counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arkansas

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for White County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)77,076
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population18,206
Low-Access Share23.6%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,029

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for White County
IndicatorValue
Population77,838
Median Household Income$55,249
Poverty Rate17.5%above the national average
SNAP Households3,417
SNAP Participation Rate11.5%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.0%
SNAP participation in White County 11.5%

About 11.5% of White County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 23.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,417 households here.
  • 5.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for White County

above the national share

1 of White County's 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.7% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 18,206 residents, roughly 23.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,029 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (53.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in White County

White County has 68 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 29 locations (43% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 29

  • dollar general 0233, beebe
  • dollar general 0731, searcy
  • dollar general 11051, kensett
  • dollar general 19626, romance
  • dollar general 4413, searcy
  • dollar general 7726, judsonia
  • dollar general 8491, pangburn
  • dollar general 9863, searcy
  • dollar tree 2857, searcy
  • dollar general 11621, bradford
  • dollar general 12240, rose bud
  • dollar general 13338, mcrae
  • dollar general 13587, beebe
  • dollar general 14623, searcy
  • dollar general 15092, judsonia
  • dollar general 17046, searcy
  • dollar general 17716, bald knob
  • dollar general 17789, searcy
  • dollar general 24979, bald knob
  • dollar general 25446, searcy
  • dollar general 30173, searcy
  • dollar general 30602, judsonia
  • dollar general 31224, searcy
  • dollar general 4721, bald knob
  • dollar general store 16324, beebe
  • dollar tree 5607, beebe
  • dollar tree 5802, searcy
  • family dollar 13779, rose bud
  • walgreens 09766, searcy

Convenience Store · 26

  • beebe quickstop, beebe
  • casey's general store 3921, searcy
  • casey's 3876, searcy
  • casey's 4388, beebe
  • circle k store, beebe
  • circle k store 2709979, searcy
  • circle k store 2709990, judsonia
  • citgo quik mart, searcy
  • exxon, searcy
  • exxon tigermart, beebe
  • good measure market, searcy
  • highway 157 inc - raiders 2, judsonia
  • irbid llc, beebe
  • jj's country store, griffithville
  • jordans kwik stop 30, beebe
  • karmic fuel #2, searcy
  • karmic fuel #3 llc, searcy
  • littlefieldexpress #15 915, bald knob
  • love's travel stop 557, searcy
  • murphy usa 7884, searcy
  • raiders, judsonia
  • raiders 4 4, judsonia
  • raiders3, judsonia
  • searcy food mart, searcy
  • searcy mart, searcy
  • searcy shell, searcy

Super Store · 5

  • harps food store 136, searcy
  • harps food store 139, bald knob
  • walmart 157, searcy
  • walmart neighborhood market 2431, searcy
  • walmart supercenter 4168, beebe

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • la lupita tienda mexicana, searcy
  • little man jerky, letona

Supermarket · 2

  • bill's cash saver 408, searcy
  • edwards cash saver 3541, beebe

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • homesteaders market, beebe

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • family market, pangburn

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • 5r custom meats, mount vernon

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • el mercado cavadas, searcy

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Arkansas

Arkansas County
47.0% low-access · 14.9% SNAP
Ashley County
21.8% low-access · 13.2% SNAP
Baxter County
16.4% low-access · 8.5% SNAP
Benton County
24.9% low-access · 3.9% SNAP
Boone County
20.9% low-access · 8.4% SNAP
Bradley County
23.8% low-access · 17.5% SNAP

Compare White County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →

Food access nationally, Arkansas in context

White County sits inside Arkansas (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of White County has low food access? ▼
23.6% of residents in White County, AR live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in White County? ▼
11.5% of households in White County receive SNAP, covering 3,417 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in White County? ▼
The poverty rate in White County, AR is 17.5%, with a median household income of $55,249 (Census ACS 2024).
Is White County a food desert? ▼
1 of White County's 13 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of White County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.5% of households in White County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

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.