Signature · 7.5% low-access (14th pct)

Lincoln County, MT

Lincoln County lands in the lower national band on low-access (7.5%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

7.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
12.2%
on SNAP
21K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MT

USDA FARA access plate

County Lincoln County, MT

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ADEQUATE 7.5% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -14.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 12.2% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Deer Lodge County ( -0.3 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Lincoln County lands in the lower national band (7.5%, #2,674 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,674
national by low-access %
#52
in MT
1
low-access tracts
534
food-desert residents

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

Signature read: 7.5% low-access (14th pct) (-14.6 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Lincoln County compares nationally

Food access in Lincoln County compares favorably nationally: its 7.5% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 14% of them (rank #2,679).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lincoln County's lower-band USDA tier split

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Lincoln County, MT USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (80.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (20.0%) Adequate 80% Limited 0% Severe 20% Food-access tier distribution: Lincoln County, MT
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Lincoln County has 1 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.

Lincoln County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Montana, 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 Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)19,687
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,476
Low-Access Share7.5%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population534

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Population21,175
Median Household Income$47,143
Poverty Rate15.4%near the national average
SNAP Households1,112
SNAP Participation Rate12.2%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.2%

SNAP retailers in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has 25 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 10 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 10

  • bears quik stop, libby
  • heavens peak organic market, libby
  • heavens peak organics, eureka
  • ksanka store, eureka
  • libby qwik stop, libby
  • save rite south, libby
  • save rite west, libby
  • town pump of eureka 2300, eureka
  • town pump of libby 4201, libby
  • town pump of troy 4100, troy

Combination Grocery/Other · 6

  • dollartree 8568, libby
  • dollar general 24650, eureka
  • dollar general 25010, libby
  • dollar general 30869, troy
  • family dollar 12575, libby
  • rosauers 114, libby

Farmers' Market · 3

  • eureka farmer's market, eureka
  • farmers market at libby, libby
  • troy farmers market, troy

Supermarket · 3

  • libby empire foods llc, libby
  • montana market, eureka
  • steins troy market, troy

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • wgg store #104 llc, eureka

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • farm to market store, libby

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • fortine merc llc, fortine

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

Other Counties in Montana

One of 55 counties in Montana, 6 are shown here.

Compare Lincoln County vs Beaverhead County → · All Montana counties →

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside MT (7.5% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside MT (12.2% 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.

Lincoln County inside a lower low-access state context

Lincoln County sits inside Montana (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 Lincoln County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30053. 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.