County food-access profile · Colorado
La Plata County, CO
La Plata 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.
- 14.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 8.7%
- on SNAP
- 56K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
14.8% of La Plata County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 2.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.7%
- 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).
La Plata County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.8% per the USDA Atlas. 6 of the county's 10 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,622 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 La Plata County compares nationally
La Plata County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.8% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,135).
La Plata County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 10 census tracts in La Plata County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
La Plata County vs. other Colorado counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Colorado
- La Plata 14.8
La Plata County, CO
14.8 % 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 | 10 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 51,334 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,622 |
| Low-Access Share | 14.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,145 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 56,331 |
| Median Household Income | $86,056 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,125 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.2% |
About 8.7% of La Plata County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 14.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,125 households here.
- 2.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $86,056 with a 11.7% poverty rate.
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 La Plata County
near the national share
A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.
An estimated 7,622 residents, roughly 14.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 2,145 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 4 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in La Plata County
La Plata County has 33 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 13
- 7-2-11 food store 41, ignacio
- alta 5800, bayfield
- corner store 2744096, durango
- everyday stores llc 5707, durango
- maverik, inc 701, durango
- roadhouse market llc, durango
- speedway 9488, durango
- speedway 9489, durango
- speedway 9490, durango
- speedway 9493, hermosa
- speedway 9495, durango
- thriftway 274, ignacio
- vallecito lake country market llc, bayfield
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 18039, bayfield
- family dollar 11666, ignacio
- family dollar 12464, durango
- family dollar 8448, bayfield
- nature's oasis, durango
- sunnyside farms market, inc., durango
- walgreens 10371, durango
- walgreens 19273, durango
Super Store · 4
- albertsons 801, durango
- city market 406, durango
- city market 421, durango
- walmart sc 2270, durango
Supermarket · 4
- farmers fresh market, llc, ignacio
- natural grocers by vitamin cottage u031, durango
- pj's gourmet market 16, durango
- the grocery store, bayfield
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's pizza co012, durango
Farmers' Market · 1
- durango farmers market, durango
Large Grocery Store · 1
- durango natural foods, durango
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- james ranch market, durango
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Colorado
Compare La Plata County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →
Food access nationally, Colorado in context
La Plata 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 La Plata County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in La Plata County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in La Plata County? ▼
Is La Plata County a food desert? ▼
What share of La Plata 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.