Signature · 14.9% low-access (32nd pct)

Carbon County, MT

Carbon County lands in the lower national band on low-access (14.9%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

14.9%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
6.1%
on SNAP
11K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MT

USDA FARA access plate

County Carbon County, MT

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-MODERATE 14.9% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -7.2 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 6.1% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 3.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Stillwater County (+ 0.4 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Carbon County lands in the lower national band (14.9%, #2,123 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,123
national by low-access %
#50
in MT
1
low-access tracts
337
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 14.9% low-access (32nd pct) (-7.2 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Carbon County compares nationally

Carbon County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.9% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,130).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Carbon County's lower-band USDA tier split

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Carbon County, MT USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (80.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) Adequate 80% Limited 20% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Carbon County, MT
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Carbon County has 0 urban and 5 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.

Carbon County vs nearby low 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 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Carbon County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)10,078
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,505
Low-Access Share14.9%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population337

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Carbon County
IndicatorValue
Population11,116
Median Household Income$80,261
Poverty Rate7.8%well below the national average
SNAP Households286
SNAP Participation Rate6.1%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%

SNAP retailers in Carbon County

Carbon County has 8 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 2 locations (25% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 2

  • family dollar 10666, red lodge
  • family dollar store 10877, bridger

Convenience Store · 2

  • cenex zip trip 74, red lodge
  • town pump of red lodge 1 1720, red lodge

Farmers' Market · 1

  • red lodge farmers' market, red lodge

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • valley foods bridger, bridger

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • joliet country market, joliet

Super Store · 1

  • beartooth market, red lodge

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.

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

Counties near Carbon County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Carbon County, both outside Montana so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside MT (14.9% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside MT (6.1% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Carbon County inside a lower low-access state context

Carbon County sits inside Montana (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

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 Carbon County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30009. 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.