County food-access profile · Colorado
Jefferson County, CO
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Jefferson 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).
- 23.2%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 5.5%
- on SNAP
- 579K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.2% of Jefferson County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 137 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 57
- low-access tracts
- 19K
- food-desert residents
- 4.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 6.7%
- 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 Jefferson County's low-access share at 23.2%, above the national share. 57 of the county's 137 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 123,878 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 18,542 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 Jefferson County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jefferson County's 23.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,430 most-affected nationwide.
Jefferson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 137 census tracts in Jefferson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Jefferson County vs. other Colorado counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Colorado
- Jefferson
Jefferson County, CO
23.2 % 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 | 137 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 534,543 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 57 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 123,878 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 18,542 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 579,377 |
| Median Household Income | $110,656 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.7%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 13,200 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.5%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
About 5.5% of Jefferson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 5.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 13,200 households here.
- 4.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Jefferson County
above the national share
6 of Jefferson County's 137 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.4% of all its tracts.
A further 51 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 57.
An estimated 123,878 residents, roughly 23.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 18,542 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 80 tracts (58.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Jefferson County
Jefferson County has 265 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 132 locations (50% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 132
- 1st stop gas and food mart inc., lakewood
- 7 eleven 17134b, lakewood
- 7 eleven 34683b, denver
- 7 eleven 38084a, wheat ridge
- 7 eleven store 18594a, arvada
- 7-eleven 13128j, lakewood
- 7-eleven 18418b, arvada
- 7-eleven 34505j, lakewood
- 7-eleven 34607, littleton
- 7-eleven 39501, lakewood
- 7-eleven 39730, lakewood
- 7-eleven 39731, littleton
- 7-eleven 39753, arvada
- 7-eleven 42149, arvada
- 7-eleven 42210h, denver
- 7-eleven 42229h, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 16068a, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 18497a, wheat ridge
- 7-eleven store 22063a, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 24079b 24079b, littleton
- 7-eleven store 25581b, golden
- 7-eleven store 34036a 34036a, westminster
- 7-eleven store 38667b 38667b, littleton
- 7-eleven store 39274b, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 39767b 39767b, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 41865h, lakewood
- 7-eleven 37554a 37554a, golden
- 7-eleven store #34012b #34012b, arvada
- 7-eleven store 13140b 13140b, arvada
- 7-eleven store 26137b 26137b, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 27043b 27043b, golden
- 7-eleven store 32809c 32809c, broomfield
- 7-eleven store 33481c 33481c, golden
- 7-eleven store 36492b 36492b, wheat ridge
- 7-eleven store 38226b, arvada
- 7-eleven store 38785a 38785a, lakewood
- 7-eleven store 39261b, arvada
- all in one store, arvada
- alta 1243, wheat ridge
- alta 1249, lakewood
- alta 4999, wheat ridge
- alta 6015, arvada
- alta 6111, lakewood
- alta 6152, conifer
- c-mart, lakewood
- circle k 2709091, lakewood
- circle k 2709870, wheat ridge
- circle k 2709877, littleton
- circle k 2709882, broomfield
- circle k 2709884, lakewood
- circle k 2709885, wheat ridge
- circle k 2709888, lakewood
- circle k 2741118, lakewood
- circle k 2741150, broomfield
- circle k 2741177, arvada
- circle k 2741180, arvada
- circle k 2741181, broomfield
- circle k 2741185, westminster
- circle k 2741188, lakewood
- conoco, lakewood
- corner store 2741167, littleton
- corner store 2741722, littleton
- corner store 2744120, lakewood
- corner store 2744121, lakewood
- corner store 2744126, littleton
- d & h inc, wheat ridge
- dhungel enterprise inc, lakewood
- diamond shamrock corner store 2741146, westminster
- diamond shamrock corner store 2741179, morrison
- diamond shamrock corner store 2744045, arvada
- diamond shamrock corner store 2744113, golden
- discount gas, lakewood
- dsh discount gas & food, wheat ridge
- east tin cup mini food store, golden
- er store food & gas, edgewater
- fast market 4584, broomfield
- gas & food, arvada
- griton market, lakewood
- harlan c- store, lakewood
- harlan shell, wheat ridge
- heritage energy inc, golden
- jenny's market 514, littleton
- jenny's market 546, evergreen
- jewell gas express, lakewood
- king soopers fuel center 40, lakewood
- king soopers fuel center 64, evergreen
- king soopers fuel center 87, conifer
- lily inc, wheat ridge
- littleton my mart inc., denver
- loaf n jug 750081, golden
- loaf n jug 750083, golden
- loaf n jug 750094, arvada
- maverik 5165, conifer
- maverik 5309, golden
- maverik 5328, littleton
- maverik 5346, arvada
- maverik 5350, arvada
- maverik 5351, wheat ridge
- maverik 5371, lakewood
- maverik, inc 647, littleton
- murphy express 8855, littleton
- murphy express 8947, lakewood
- murphy usa 7969, littleton
- murphy usa 8904, arvada
- oberon food & gas, arvada
- pine junction country store, pine
- quiktrip 4229, lakewood
- quiktrip 4236, arvada
- rocket #0746 746, arvada
- rocket #6506 6506, golden
- rocket #6520 6520, lakewood
- rocket #6523 6523, wheat ridge
- rocket #6524 6524, arvada
- rocket #6530 6530, littleton
- rocket #6532 6532, littleton
- rocket #6535 6535, littleton
- rocket #6537 6537, littleton
- rocket #6540 6540, littleton
- rocket #6548 6548, morrison
- rocket #6552 6552, wheat ridge
- silver oil company, wheat ridge
- stinker store 310, wheat ridge
- stinker store 330, conifer
- stinker store 335, morrison
- stinker store 336, lakewood
- stinker store 339, wheat ridge
- stinker store 341, evergreen
- sub & sam, wheat ridge
- ta wheat ridge 174, wheat ridge
- u pump gas and food, lakewood
- won mart, lakewood
- ys mart 1, littleton
Super Store · 45
- costco wholesale 0440, westminster
- costco wholesale 0676, arvada
- edwards meats, wheat ridge
- king soopers 121, arvada
- king soopers 127, lakewood
- king soopers 137, arvada
- king soopers 20, wheat ridge
- king soopers 22, arvada
- king soopers 25, littleton
- king soopers 31, lakewood
- king soopers 36, arvada
- king soopers 40, lakewood
- king soopers 41, littleton
- king soopers 45, arvada
- king soopers 50, littleton
- king soopers 55, broomfield
- king soopers 57, wheat ridge
- king soopers 59, lakewood
- king soopers 60, lakewood
- king soopers 64, evergreen
- king soopers 78, littleton
- king soopers 82, golden
- king soopers 85, arvada
- king soopers 87, conifer
- king soopers home shop 90, edgewater
- sam's club 6630, arvada
- sam's club 6635, littleton
- target stores t- 1500, lakewood
- target stores t- 1776, littleton
- target stores t- 1928, westminster
- target stores t- 2021, wheat ridge
- target stores t- 2225, edgewater
- target stores t- 2717, lakewood
- target stores t- 48, arvada
- viet hoa supermarket, lakewood
- walmart 2223, westminster
- walmart 4734, arvada
- walmart sc 2125, lakewood
- walmart sc 2293, evergreen
- walmart sc 3824, westminster
- walmart sc 4284, lakewood
- walmart sc 5049, littleton
- whole foods 10471, littleton
- whole foods market 10218, lakewood
- whole foods market 10350, lakewood
Combination Grocery/Other · 36
- cvs pharmacy 10782, littleton
- cvs pharmacy 11138, arvada
- dollartree 9328, lakewood
- dollartree 9504, lakewood
- dollar general 19059, lakewood
- dollar tree 2668, westminster
- dollar tree 2704, lakewood
- dollar tree 2711, lakewood
- dollar tree 2792, littleton
- dollar tree 3056, lakewood
- dollar tree 3626, arvada
- dollar tree 4049, lakewood
- dollar tree 4136, broomfield
- dollar tree 5688, arvada
- dollar tree 6578, wheat ridge
- heinies market inc., wheat ridge
- jasmine market, lakewood
- tom's seafood & gourmet market, lakewood
- walgreens 01306, littleton
- walgreens 03499, arvada
- walgreens 03589, littleton
- walgreens 04366, wheat ridge
- walgreens 09034, arvada
- walgreens 09566, lakewood
- walgreens 09607, littleton
- walgreens 10117, golden
- walgreens 10306, evergreen
- walgreens 12100, arvada
- walgreens 13968, lakewood
- walgreens 4468, broomfield
- walgreens 6284, littleton
- walgreens 6621, lakewood
- walgreens 6826, golden
- walgreens 6883, wheat ridge
- walgreens 7432, littleton
- walgreens 9887, lakewood
Supermarket · 12
- littleton 306, littleton
- safeway 10, evergreen
- safeway 1479, wheat ridge
- safeway 1599, littleton
- safeway 1998, arvada
- safeway 2342, lakewood
- safeway 27, littleton
- safeway 2792, conifer
- safeway 322, golden
- safeway 344, lakewood
- safeway 41, lakewood
- safeway 839, littleton
Bakery Specialty · 9
- papa murphy's co009, littleton
- papa murphy's evergreen co118, evergreen
- papa murphy's golden co067, golden
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 029, arvada
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 034, littleton
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 040, lakewood
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 068, conifer
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 070, littleton
- papa murphy's take & bake pizza co 097, arvada
Farmers' Market · 5
- gofarm, golden
- gofarm, golden
- golden farmers market, golden
- lakewood farmers' maket, lakewood
- metro denver farmers' market, littleton
Medium Grocery Store · 5
- chicago market, lakewood
- de mi pais market 3, lakewood
- european market of lakewood, lakewood
- fruteria la mexicana, denver
- gastronom 1, arvada
Small Grocery Store · 3
- andre's & lana's market 2, lakewood
- mi pueblo catracho market, lakewood
- salam international halal market inc, arvada
Delivery Route · 1
- arvada veggie van, arvada
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- our little nursery, littleton
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- gourmet meats and sausage, lakewood
Showing 250 of 265 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Colorado
Compare Jefferson County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →
Food access nationally, Colorado in context
Jefferson 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 Jefferson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Jefferson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County? ▼
Is Jefferson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Jefferson 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.