Signature · 8.5% SNAP (18th pct in CA)

Inyo County, CA

Inyo County sits in the upper national band on low-access (28.9%, +6.8 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.

28.9%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
8.5%
on SNAP
19K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 CA

USDA FARA access plate

County Inyo County, CA

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 28.9% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.8 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-LIGHT 8.5% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Siskiyou County ( -0.3 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Inyo County sits in the upper national band (28.9%, #1,008 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.

#1,008
national by low-access %
#11
in CA
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: 8.5% SNAP (18th pct in CA) (-3.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How Inyo County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Inyo County's 28.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #1,013 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Inyo County's elevated USDA tier split

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Inyo County, CA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (50.0%) 2 tracts limited (33.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 50% Limited 33% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Inyo County, CA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Inyo County has 2 urban and 4 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.

Inyo County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Inyo County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)18,546
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population5,358
Low-Access Share28.9%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,441

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Inyo County
IndicatorValue
Population18,739
Median Household Income$73,991
Poverty Rate10.9%below the national average
SNAP Households686
SNAP Participation Rate8.5%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.7%

SNAP retailers in Inyo County

Inyo County has 20 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (35% of the total), followed by medium grocery store.

Convenience Store · 7

  • bishop market, bishop
  • dino gas mart, bishop
  • lone pine mobil, lone pine
  • r&g fuel inc., big pine
  • star mso 1478, bishop
  • smalley's market & trading post, bishop
  • speedway 1478, bishop

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • hi-country market, big pine
  • jgn market, bishop
  • la tiendita, bishop

Supermarket · 3

  • lone pine market, lone pine
  • manor market, bishop
  • vons 1753, bishop

Combination Grocery/Other · 2

  • dollartree 8980, bishop
  • family dollar 12264, bishop

Super Store · 2

  • grocery outlet of bishop 349, bishop
  • smart & final 380, bishop

Farmers' Market · 1

  • bishop paiute community market, bishop

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • olancha mobil mart 1, olancha

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • the meat house, bishop

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

Other Counties in California

One of 57 counties in California, 6 are shown here.

Compare Inyo County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →

Counties near Inyo County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

SNAP-led peer set first for Inyo County (8.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside California.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside CA (28.9% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (8.5% 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.

Inyo County inside a higher low-access state context

Inyo County sits inside California (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 Inyo County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06027. 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.