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Signature · 14.7% SNAP (96th pct in MT)

Blaine County, MT

Blaine County stands out on SNAP (14.7%, +2.6 pts vs U.S.) with 34.0% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.

34.0%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
14.7%
on SNAP
7K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MT

USDA FARA access plate

County Blaine County, MT

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 34.0% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +11.9 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 14.7% SNAP
  • VEH-TYPICAL 7.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Wheatland County (+ 0.5 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Blaine County sits in the upper national band (34.0%, #663 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.

#663
national by low-access %
#27
in MT
1
low-access tracts
1K
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: 14.7% SNAP (96th pct in MT) (+2.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How Blaine County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Blaine County's 34.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #670 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Blaine County's elevated USDA tier split

4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Blaine County, MT USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (75.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 0% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Blaine County, MT
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Blaine County has 0 urban and 4 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.

Blaine County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Montana, not a full county-board reprint

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

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Blaine County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)6,491
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population2,208
Low-Access Share34.0%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,196

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Blaine County
IndicatorValue
Population6,949
Median Household Income$64,813
Poverty Rate18.3%above the national average
SNAP Households336
SNAP Participation Rate14.7%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.6%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.8%

SNAP retailers in Blaine County

Blaine County has 8 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Medium Grocery Store lead with 2 locations (25% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • martins grocery, hays
  • red paint creek trading post, dodson

Combination Grocery/Other · 1

  • family dollar 13139, harlem

Convenience Store · 1

  • town pump of chinook inc 1600, chinook

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • finleys food farm, chinook

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • bear paw meats llc, chinook

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • little river trading post llc, harlem

Supermarket · 1

  • albertsons 0832, harlem

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Montana

One of 55 counties in Montana, 6 are shown here.

Beaverhead County
20.1% low-access · 7.2% SNAP
Big Horn County
42.5% low-access · 17.5% SNAP
Broadwater County
15.4% low-access · 3.5% SNAP
Carbon County
14.9% low-access · 6.1% SNAP
Carter County
100.0% low-access · 5.3% SNAP
Cascade County
26.3% low-access · 10.4% SNAP

Compare Blaine County vs Beaverhead County → · All Montana counties →

Blaine County inside a higher low-access state context

Blaine County sits inside Montana (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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 Blaine County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30005. 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.