Signature · 50 SNAP-authorized stores
Whiteside County, IL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Whiteside 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).
- 21.3%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 14.1%
- on SNAP
- 55K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Whiteside County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 21.3% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Shelby County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Whiteside County ranks #1,580 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #54 of 102 counties in IL (21.3% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,580
- national by low-access %
- #54
- in IL
- 8
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 50 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Whiteside County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Whiteside County's 21.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,580 most-affected nationwide.
Whiteside County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
18 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Whiteside County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (11 urban, 7 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 7 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Whiteside County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Shelby 21.4
Shelby 21.4%
21.4 % low-access
- Whiteside 21.3
Whiteside 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Hardin 21.1
Hardin 21.1%
21.1 % low-access
- Franklin 21
Franklin 21%
21 % low-access
- Kane 21
Kane 21%
21 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 18 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 58,498 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 8 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 12,465 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,662 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 54,947 |
| Median Household Income | $67,500 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,252 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Whiteside County
Whiteside County has 50 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
8 towns share the 50 authorized stores; Sterling holds 44% of them. 3 of the 8 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Prophetstown, Albany, Tampico.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling | 22 | 6 |
| Rock Falls | 11 | 2 |
| Morrison | 5 | 1 |
| Fulton | 4 | 1 |
| Erie | 3 | 1 |
| Prophetstown | 3 | none |
| Albany | 1 | none |
| Tampico | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 22
- casey's general store 3498, rock falls
- casey's 2872, prophetstown
- casey's general store 1726, sterling
- casey's general store 1843, rock falls
- casey's general store 1859, rock falls
- casey's general store 2546, erie
- casey's general store 2605, morrison
- caseys general store 1304, tampico
- circle k 4701436, sterling
- express lane gas & food mart 18, sterling
- express lane gas & food mart 4, rock falls
- express lane gas & food mart 6, sterling
- express lane gas & food mart 9, rock falls
- expresslane 16, morrison
- expresslane 36, fulton
- expresslane 74, albany
- first avenue mobil 72, rock falls
- mobil mart, rock falls
- morrison bp, morrison
- polo road mobil 73, sterling
- sterling food mart, sterling
- stop & save il, sterling
Combination Grocery/Other · 14
- cvs 8663, sterling
- dollar general 1452, fulton
- dollar general 3558, sterling
- dollar general 6883, prophetstown
- dollar general 8150, morrison
- dollar general 16615, erie
- dollar general 30796, sterling
- dollar general 31260, sterling
- dollar general 3141, rock falls
- dollar tree 6883, sterling
- dollar tree 940, sterling
- shaws marketplace 1889, prophetstown
- walgreens 3559, sterling
- walgreens 02473, rock falls
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- el vaquero western wear, sterling
- fulton meat market, fulton
- la laguna market inc., sterling
- shaheen's village market, erie
Super Store · 4
- county market 348, sterling
- kroger j-953, sterling
- walmart 830, rock falls
- walmart supercenter 891, sterling
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 68011 68011, sterling
- save-a-lot 23619, rock falls
- sullivan's foods 3166, morrison
Farmers' Market · 1
- twin city farmers market, sterling
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- the butcher shop, sterling
Seafood Specialty · 1
- schafers fisheries, fulton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Whiteside County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Whiteside County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Whiteside County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (21.3% here).
- Clay County, IN · 21.3% low-access
- Bulloch County, GA · 21.3% low-access
- Panola County, MS · 21.3% low-access
- Craighead County, AR · 21.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (14.1% here).
- Fayette County, IN · 14.1% SNAP
- Allen County, KY · 14.1% SNAP
- Haralson County, GA · 14.1% SNAP
- Jefferson Parish, LA · 14.1% 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.
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Whiteside County, at 21.3%, runs 1.1 pts above the Illinois rate.
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 Whiteside County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17195. 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.