Signature · 9.8% low-access (20th pct)

Gunnison County, CO

Gunnison County lands in the lower national band on low-access (9.8%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

9.8%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
7.6%
on SNAP
17K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 CO

USDA FARA access plate

County Gunnison County, CO

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-MODERATE 9.8% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -12.3 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-LIGHT 7.6% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 2.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 25% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: San Miguel County (+ 0.0 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Gunnison County lands in the lower national band (9.8%, #2,497 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,497
national by low-access %
#53
in CO
1
low-access tracts
471
food-desert residents

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

Signature read: 9.8% low-access (20th pct) (-12.3 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Gunnison County compares nationally

Gunnison County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.8% low-access share that beats 20% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,504).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Gunnison County's lower-band USDA tier split

4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Gunnison County, CO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (75.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 0% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Gunnison County, CO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Gunnison County has 1 urban and 3 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.

Gunnison County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Colorado, 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 Gunnison County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)15,324
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,498
Low-Access Share9.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population471

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Gunnison County
IndicatorValue
Population17,241
Median Household Income$84,527
Poverty Rate11.3%below the national average
SNAP Households648
SNAP Participation Rate7.6%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.7%

SNAP retailers in Gunnison County

Gunnison County has 12 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (25% of the total), followed by super store.

Convenience Store · 3

  • alta 6656, gunnison
  • humdinger's 16 16, gunnison
  • loves country store 7, gunnison

Super Store · 3

  • city market 419, gunnison
  • crested butte grocery llc, crested butte
  • walmart 1550, gunnison

Farmers' Market · 2

  • crested butte farmers market, crested butte
  • gunnison farmers market, gunnison

Supermarket · 2

  • natural grocers u175, gunnison
  • safeway 617, gunnison

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • mountain earth, inc., crested butte

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • gunnison vitamin & health food store inc, gunnison

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Colorado

One of 63 counties in Colorado, 6 are shown here.

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

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside CO (9.8% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside CO (7.6% 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.

Gunnison County inside a lower low-access state context

Gunnison County sits inside Colorado (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 Gunnison County, CO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 08051. 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.