PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Idaho

Elmore County, ID

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

27.2%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
7.8%
on SNAP
29K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 ID

The food-access picture

27.2% of Elmore County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
4.2%
households, no vehicle
10.5%
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 Elmore County's low-access share at 27.2%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 7,345 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,825 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 Elmore County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Elmore County's 27.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,137 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Elmore County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Elmore 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 Elmore County, ID USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 20% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Elmore County, ID
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Elmore County vs. other Idaho counties

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

% 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 Elmore County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)27,038
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population7,345
Low-Access Share27.2%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,825

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Elmore County
IndicatorValue
Population29,321
Median Household Income$65,359
Poverty Rate10.5%below the national average
SNAP Households858
SNAP Participation Rate7.8%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.2%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.1%
SNAP participation in Elmore County 7.8%

About 7.8% of Elmore County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 27.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 7.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 858 households here.
  • 4.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Elmore County

above the national share

2 of Elmore County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 7,345 residents, roughly 27.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,825 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Elmore County

Elmore County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 5 locations (33% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 5

  • jacksons food stores 077, mountain home
  • jacksons food stores 236, mountain home
  • key mart coner store, mountain home
  • maverik, inc 209, mtn home
  • pilot travel center 350, mountain home

Combination Grocery/Other · 2

  • dollar tree 2830, mountain home
  • family dollar 10377, glenns ferry

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • pantera market 6, mountain home
  • southside market, glenns ferry

Supermarket · 2

  • albertsons 165, mountain home
  • grocery outlet 492, mountain home

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's id025, mountain home

Farmers' Market · 1

  • moho market, mountain home

Military Commissary · 1

  • mountain home afb commissary 1237, mountain home afb

Super Store · 1

  • walmart 2782, mountain home

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Idaho

Ada County
30.4% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Adams County
25.5% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Bannock County
34.7% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Bear Lake County
25.9% low-access · 4.7% SNAP
Benewah County
23.3% low-access · 10.6% SNAP
Bingham County
32.3% low-access · 10.3% SNAP

Compare Elmore County vs Ada County → · All Idaho counties →

Food access nationally, Idaho in context

Elmore County sits inside Idaho (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 Elmore County has low food access? ▼
27.2% of residents in Elmore County, ID 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 Elmore County? ▼
7.8% of households in Elmore County receive SNAP, covering 858 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Elmore County? ▼
The poverty rate in Elmore County, ID is 10.5%, with a median household income of $65,359 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Elmore County a food desert? ▼
2 of Elmore County's 5 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 Elmore County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.2% of households in Elmore 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.