PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Colorado

Broomfield County, CO

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Broomfield 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).

37.8%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
3.8%
on SNAP
76K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 CO

The food-access picture

37.8% of Broomfield County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

10
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
3.8%
households, no vehicle
6.2%
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 Broomfield County's low-access share at 37.8%, above the national share. 10 of the county's 15 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 21,135 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,817 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 Broomfield County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Broomfield County's 37.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 84% of them and ranked #496 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Broomfield County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 15 census tracts in Broomfield 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 Broomfield County, CO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 9 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 15 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (33.3%) 9 tracts limited (60.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (6.7%) Adequate 33% Limited 60% Severe 7% Food-access tier distribution: Broomfield County, CO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Broomfield County vs. other Colorado counties

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

% 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 Broomfield County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts15
Atlas Population (2010 basis)55,889
Low-Access Tracts10
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population21,135
Low-Access Share37.8%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,817

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Broomfield County
IndicatorValue
Population76,304
Median Household Income$123,874
Poverty Rate6.2%well below the national average
SNAP Households1,212
SNAP Participation Rate3.8%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.5%
SNAP participation in Broomfield County 3.8%

About 3.8% of Broomfield County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 37.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 3.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,212 households here.
  • 3.8% 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 Broomfield County

above the national share

1 of Broomfield County's 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 6.7% of all its tracts.

A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 10.

An estimated 21,135 residents, roughly 37.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,817 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Broomfield County

Broomfield County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (48% of the total), followed by super store.

Convenience Store · 15

  • 7-eleven 39742, broomfield
  • 7-eleven 38135a 38135a, broomfield
  • 7-eleven 38330a 38330a, broomfield
  • 7-eleven store 35336d 35336d, broomfield
  • 7-eleven store 37562b 37562b, broomfield
  • alta 6140, broomfield
  • circle k 2709873, broomfield
  • circle k 2709894, broomfield
  • circle k 2741129, broomfield
  • fast market 4582, broomfield
  • fast market 4583, broomfield
  • heaven a llc, broomfield
  • murphy express 8732, thornton
  • murphy express 8747, broomfield
  • murphy usa 7491, broomfield

Super Store · 5

  • king soopers 118, broomfield
  • king soopers 86, broomfield
  • king soopers 89, broomfield
  • walmart sc 4288, broomfield
  • walmart sc 5341, broomfield

Combination Grocery/Other · 3

  • dollar tree 7404, broomfield
  • walgreens 4025, westminster
  • walgreens 9570, broomfield

Supermarket · 3

  • corah market inc, broomfield
  • safeway 2624, broomfield
  • sprouts farmers market 301, broomfield

Bakery Specialty · 2

  • papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 090, denver
  • papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza co028, broomfield

Farmers' Market · 1

  • broomfield farmers market, broomfield

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • my india's, broomfield

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • carniceria chihuahua llc, broomfield

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Colorado

Adams County
17.9% low-access · 10.3% SNAP
Alamosa County
27.7% low-access · 28.6% SNAP
Arapahoe County
13.6% low-access · 7.7% SNAP
Archuleta County
40.9% low-access · 6.9% SNAP
Baca County
25.2% low-access · 21.3% SNAP
Bent County
12.4% low-access · 21.4% SNAP

Compare Broomfield County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →

Food access nationally, Colorado in context

Broomfield County sits inside Colorado (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 Broomfield County has low food access? ▼
37.8% of residents in Broomfield County, CO 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 Broomfield County? ▼
3.8% of households in Broomfield County receive SNAP, covering 1,212 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Broomfield County? ▼
The poverty rate in Broomfield County, CO is 6.2%, with a median household income of $123,874 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Broomfield County a food desert? ▼
1 of Broomfield County's 15 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 Broomfield County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.8% of households in Broomfield 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.