Signature · 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of tracts)
Monroe County, AL
Monroe County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of the book) alongside 18.6% low-access.
- 18.6%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 14.0%
- on SNAP
- 19K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Monroe County, AL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 18.6% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -3.5 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 43% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Talladega County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Monroe County ranks #1,802 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #35 of 66 counties in AL (18.6% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,802
- national by low-access %
- #35
- in AL
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of tracts) .
How Monroe County compares nationally
Monroe County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.6% low-access share that beats 42% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,809).
Monroe County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Monroe County has 0 urban and 7 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.
Monroe County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Alabama, not a full county-board reprint
- Bullock
Bullock 68.5%
68.5 % low-access
- Chambers 19.7
Chambers 19.7%
19.7 % low-access
- Elmore 19
Elmore 19%
19 % low-access
- Monroe 18.6
Monroe 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- Talladega 18.6
Talladega 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- Sumter 18
Sumter 18%
18 % low-access
- DeKalb 0
DeKalb 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 23,068 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,296 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,614 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 19,388 |
| Median Household Income | $42,292 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,030 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Monroe County
Monroe County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 12 locations (46% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 12
- dollar general 0411, monroeville
- dollar general 10736, monroeville
- dollar general 18651, beatrice
- dollar general 8082, frisco city
- dollar general 12455, uriah
- dollar general 12467, excel
- dollar general 22755, frisco city
- dollar tree 2279, monroeville
- family dollar 12861, uriah
- family dollar 13507, monroeville
- monroeville seafood, monroeville
- walgreens 12879, monroeville
Convenience Store · 8
- circle k 2721577, monroeville
- community mart, frisco city
- corner store 1, monroeville
- diamond mart #3, monroeville
- finchburg grocery, franklin
- fresco express mart llc, frisco
- murphy express 8593, monroeville
- texaco of monroeville, monroeville
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- darby's red and white, monroeville
- excel town market, frisco city
- gilbert's country market, beatrice
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- ollie curb market, monroeville
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 1493, monroeville
Supermarket · 1
- piggly wiggly 633, monroeville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Alabama
One of 66 counties in Alabama, 6 are shown here.
Compare Monroe County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Nationwide peers for Monroe County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Monroe County, both outside Alabama so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AL (18.6% here).
- San Luis Obispo County, CA · 18.6% low-access
- San Luis Obispo County, CA · 18.6% low-access
- Hamilton County, FL · 18.6% low-access
- Hamilton County, FL · 18.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AL (14.0% here).
- North Slope Borough, AK · 14.0% SNAP
- North Slope Borough, AK · 14.0% SNAP
- Shelby County, IL · 14.0% SNAP
- Shelby County, IL · 14.0% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Monroe County sits inside Alabama (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 Monroe County, AL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 01099. 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.