County food-access profile · Colorado
Denver County, CO
Denver County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 10.8%
- low-access pop.
- 17
- food-desert tracts
- 8.8%
- on SNAP
- 719K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
10.8% of Denver County residents live in a low-access area, and 17 of its 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 25
- low-access tracts
- 26K
- food-desert residents
- 10.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.2%
- 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).
Denver County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.8% per the USDA Atlas. 25 of the county's 143 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 64,734 residents who live far from a supermarket. 17 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 25,554 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 Denver County compares nationally
Denver County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.8% low-access share that beats 23% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,424).
Denver County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 143 census tracts in Denver County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Denver County vs. other Colorado counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Colorado
- Denver 10.8
Denver County, CO
10.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, CO
17.9 % low-access
- Alamosa
Alamosa County, CO
27.7 % low-access
- Arapahoe 13.6
Arapahoe County, CO
13.6 % low-access
- Archuleta
Archuleta County, CO
40.9 % low-access
- Baca
Baca County, CO
25.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 143 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 600,158 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 25 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 17 |
| Low-Access Population | 64,734 |
| Low-Access Share | 10.8%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 25,554 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 718,877 |
| Median Household Income | $94,718 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 29,550 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.3%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 8.8% of Denver County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 10.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 29,550 households here.
- 10.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 17 tracts 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 Denver County
near the national share
17 of Denver County's 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.9% of all its tracts.
A further 8 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 25.
An estimated 64,734 residents, roughly 10.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 25,554 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 118 tracts (82.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Denver County
Denver County has 348 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 175 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 175
- 7 eleven 25052b, denver
- 7 eleven 32810b, denver
- 7 eleven 35519b, denver
- 7 eleven 35995b, denver
- 7 eleven 38119a, denver
- 7 eleven 36769, denver
- 7-11 42319, denver
- 7-eleven 23899j, denver
- 7-eleven 35668a, denver
- 7-eleven 39215, denver
- 7-eleven 39504, denver
- 7-eleven 39848, denver
- 7-eleven 39849, denver
- 7-eleven store 13194a, denver
- 7-eleven store 13195a, denver
- 7-eleven store 13198b, denver
- 7-eleven store 15754a, denver
- 7-eleven store 18397a, denver
- 7-eleven store 18730a, denver
- 7-eleven store 21938a, denver
- 7-eleven store 22358a, denver
- 7-eleven store 23172f 23172f, denver
- 7-eleven store 23293a, denver
- 7-eleven store 23727a, denver
- 7-eleven store 23867a, denver
- 7-eleven store 24116b 24116b, denver
- 7-eleven store 24359a, denver
- 7-eleven store 24627a, denver
- 7-eleven store 25028a, denver
- 7-eleven store 25069a, denver
- 7-eleven store 25582b 25582b, denver
- 7-eleven store 25907b, denver
- 7-eleven store 27620a, denver
- 7-eleven store 29420a, denver
- 7-eleven store 34057, englewood
- 7-eleven store 34705j, denver
- 7-eleven store 34741a, denver
- 7-eleven store 35053a, denver
- 7-eleven store 35511a, denver
- 7-eleven store 35536b, denver
- 7-eleven store 35979a, denver
- 7-eleven store 37141d 37141d, denver
- 7-eleven store 39773j, denver
- 7-eleven store 39859j, denver
- 7-eleven, inc. 18630j, denver
- 7-eleven 27067b, denver
- 7-eleven 27429c 27429c, denver
- 7-eleven 29108a, denver
- 7-eleven 34342b 34342b, denver
- 7-eleven 34534a, denver
- 7-eleven 35617a, denver
- 7-eleven 35976b, denver
- 7-eleven 38357a 38357a, denver
- 7-eleven 38361a 38361a, denver
- 7-eleven store 13203c 13203c, denver
- 7-eleven store 13209d 13209d, denver
- 7-eleven store 16147c 16147c, denver
- 7-eleven store 16593c 16593c, denver
- 7-eleven store 18449b 18449b, denver
- 7-eleven store 22537b 22537b, denver
- 7-eleven store 23664b 23664b, denver
- 7-eleven store 25550b 25550b, denver
- 7-eleven store 29151a 29151a, denver
- 7-eleven store 29203b 29203b, denver
- 7-eleven store 33052c 33052c, denver
- 7-eleven store 33630b 33630b, denver
- 7-eleven store 34179d 34179d, denver
- 7-eleven store 34570b 34570b, denver
- 7-eleven store 35365b, denver
- 7-eleven store 37016b 37016b, denver
- 7-eleven store 38180a 38180a, denver
- 7-eleven store 39062b 39062b, denver
- 7-eleven store 41337a 41337a, denver
- 7-eleven, inc. store # 23603b, denver
- 7-eleven, inc. store 38651b, denver
- ad smoke shop and grocery llc 001, denver
- all in one convenience store inc, denver
- alta 6010, denver
- alta 6013, denver
- barn store, denver
- bole market, denver
- c store/conoco, denver
- crown market, denver
- capitol convenience, denver
- capitol market llc, denver
- carniceria zacatecas inc, denver
- chambers gas & wash, denver
- circle k 2703290, denver
- circle k 2709842, denver
- circle k 2709854, denver
- circle k 2709867, denver
- circle k 2709868, denver
- circle k 2709900, denver
- circle k 2744080, denver
- circle k 2744085, denver
- circle k 2744086, denver
- circle k 2744089, denver
- circle k 2744093, denver
- circle k 2744094, denver
- city store, denver
- colfax gs llc, denver
- conoco, denver
- conoco, denver
- corner store 2741141, littleton
- diamond shamrock corner store 2741119, denver
- diamond shamrock corner store 2744079, denver
- dnt, denver
- east colfax sinclair, denver
- el tepetate market, denver
- emmanuel bakery corporation, denver
- federal shell, denver
- food mart, denver
- g-mart, denver
- gas mart, denver
- good 2 go store 714, denver
- holly market, denver
- horizon food & gas 2, denver
- jacks market llc, denver
- jenny's market 548, denver
- k&g convenience and smoke, denver
- k-stop gas & groceries, llc, denver
- kaleb enterprises, denver
- kentucky market, denver
- la pasadita de westwood, denver
- leo's discount & bin store, denver
- loaf n jug 750801, denver
- maverik 5329, denver
- maverik 5340, denver
- maverik 5341, denver
- maverik 5345, denver
- michael discount store, denver
- mile high quick stop, denver
- minhas inc/ 7-eleven 21899, denver
- monaco gas 1, denver
- mr. g's neighborhood grocery, denver
- murphy express 8697, denver
- murphy express 8884, denver
- murphy express 8897, denver
- murphy express 8906, denver
- murphy express 8936, denver
- nile express market, denver
- o's pipes and tobacco, denver
- osage cafe & mercado, denver
- pandav 1945 federal llc, denver
- pynergy blvd, denver
- pynergy knox 01, denver
- quiktrip 4210, denver
- quiktrip 4221, denver
- regis convenience store, denver
- rocket #6492 6492, denver
- rocket #6499 6499, denver
- rocket #6509 6509, denver
- rocket #6514 6514, denver
- rocket #6516 6516, denver
- rocket #6517 6517, denver
- rocket #6543 6543, denver
- rocket #6546 6546, denver
- rudeetai inc, denver
- russells convenience 223, denver
- santa fe gas express, denver
- sav-o-mart, denver
- shamrock mississippi inc, denver
- sinclair station, denver
- sloan's lake market, denver
- stinker store 312, denver
- stinker store 313, denver
- stinker store 314, denver
- stinker store 342, denver
- super 99 cents +, denver
- town grocery, denver
- valero corner store 2744090, denver
- valero corner store 274661, denver
- villa park mini mart, denver
- west evans sinclair, denver
- zuni conoco, denver
Combination Grocery/Other · 35
- cvs pharmacy 10784, denver
- cvs pharmacy 10804, denver
- cvs pharmacy 10959, denver
- cvs pharmacy cvs10831, denver
- cvs pharmacy cvs11195, denver
- crawfish market, denver
- dollar general 31493, denver
- dollar tree 3193, denver
- dollar tree 3486, denver
- dollar tree 3671, denver
- dollar tree 4628, denver
- dollar tree 5176, denver
- dollar tree 6182, denver
- family dollar 12208, denver
- family dollar 2682, denver
- family dollar 2692, denver
- family dollar 2901, denver
- family dollar 6870, denver
- family dollar 8721, denver
- family dollar 8836, denver
- gem store, denver
- merkato market, denver
- ung market, denver
- walgreens 00356, denver
- walgreens 07253, denver
- walgreens 07581, denver
- walgreens 09567, denver
- walgreens 10116, denver
- walgreens 11101, denver
- walgreens 12366, denver
- walgreens 1769, denver
- walgreens 18391, denver
- walgreens 2843, denver
- walgreens 3190, denver
- walgreens 4301, denver
Medium Grocery Store · 18
- abarrotes la herradura, denver
- abay syracuse market llc, denver
- al ameer halal market, denver
- aria international market, denver
- barakah halal market, denver
- black sea market, denver
- carniceria chihuas, denver
- carniceria hernandez llc 1, denver
- carniceria jalisco llc, denver
- carniceria la sierra inc, denver
- carniceria y taqueria la popular 1, denver
- denver halal mini market, aurora
- global grocery mart llc 1, denver
- guerrero market, denver
- hau giang market, denver
- los dos toros, denver
- middle east market., denver
- mile high halal llc 1, denver
Large Grocery Store · 9
- a mart store, denver
- ben thanh asian market, denver
- carniceria y taqueria la noria, denver
- indochina enterprises inc 1, denver
- mecca market, denver
- panaderia contreras inc, denver
- prime meat market, denver
- saigon supermarket corp, denver
- super carniceria la hacienda inc. 1, denver
Bakery Specialty · 6
- bimbo bakeries 9210, denver
- kolbe market and bakery llc, denver
- papa murphy's co0089, denver
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 011, denver
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 027, denver
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 074, denver
Farmers' Market · 5
- city park farmers market, denver
- denver union station farmers market nafmnp, denver
- green valley ranch farmers market nafmnp, denver
- huerta urbana farmers market, denver
- south pearl street farmers market nafmnp, denver
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- gold star hotlink company, denver
- the local butcher, denver
Showing 250 of 348 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Colorado
Compare Denver County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →
Food access nationally, Colorado in context
Denver County sits inside Colorado (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Denver County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Denver County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Denver County? ▼
Is Denver County a food desert? ▼
What share of Denver County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.