Signature · 52.5% low-access (94th pct)
Dawson County, MT
Dawson County sits in the upper national band on low-access (52.5%, +30.4 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 52.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 3.5%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Dawson County, MT
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 52.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +30.4 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 3.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Powder River County ( -0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Dawson County sits in the upper national band (52.5%, #178 of 3,079).
- #178
- national by low-access %
- #15
- in MT
- 3
- 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: 52.5% low-access (94th pct) (+30.4 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Dawson County compares nationally
Dawson County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 52.5% low-access share outpaces 94% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #178 most-affected nationwide.
Dawson County's elevated USDA tier split
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Dawson County has 2 urban and 1 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.
Dawson County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Montana, not a full county-board reprint
- Wibaux
Wibaux 100%
100 % low-access
- Garfield
Garfield 55.3%
55.3 % low-access
- Richland
Richland 53.8%
53.8 % low-access
- Hill
Hill 53.5%
53.5 % low-access
- Dawson
Dawson 52.5%
52.5 % low-access
- Powder River
Powder River 52.4%
52.4 % low-access
- Ravalli 2.7
Ravalli 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,966 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,704 |
| Low-Access Share | 52.5%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,076 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,827 |
| Median Household Income | $71,334 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 127 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 3.5%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.1%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.6% |
SNAP retailers in Dawson County
Dawson County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 3
- brake time #243715, glendive
- holiday stationstore 2746271, glendive
- town pump glendive 8320, glendive
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- dollartree 8861, glendive
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- big sky butcher, glendive
Super Store · 1
- reynolds market 16936, glendive
Supermarket · 1
- albertsons 4023, glendive
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 Dawson County vs Beaverhead County → · All Montana counties →
Dawson County inside a higher low-access state context
Dawson 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 Dawson County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30021. 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.