PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Indiana

Monroe County, IN

Monroe 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.

18.3%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
6.0%
on SNAP
141K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IN

The food-access picture

18.3% of Monroe County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

11
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
8.4%
households, no vehicle
19.7%
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).

Monroe County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.3% per the USDA Atlas. 11 of the county's 31 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 25,287 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,376 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 Monroe County compares nationally

Monroe County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.3% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,834).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Monroe County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 31 census tracts in Monroe County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Monroe County, IN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 20 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 7 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 31 tracts evaluated. 20 tracts adequate (64.5%) 7 tracts limited (22.6%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (12.9%) Adequate 65% Limited 23% Severe 13% Food-access tier distribution: Monroe County, IN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Monroe County vs. other Indiana counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Monroe County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts31
Atlas Population (2010 basis)137,974
Low-Access Tracts11
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population25,287
Low-Access Share18.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,376

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Monroe County
IndicatorValue
Population140,965
Median Household Income$65,868
Poverty Rate19.7%above the national average
SNAP Households3,564
SNAP Participation Rate6.0%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.4%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population10.2%
SNAP participation in Monroe County 6.0%

About 6.0% of Monroe County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 18.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,564 households here.
  • 8.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Monroe County

near the national share

4 of Monroe County's 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.9% of all its tracts.

A further 7 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 11.

An estimated 25,287 residents, roughly 18.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,376 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 20 tracts (64.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Monroe County

Monroe County has 74 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • bloom pantry, bloomington
  • bloomington food mart, bloomington
  • bloomington marathon 2254, bloomington
  • circle k 29, bloomington
  • circle k 33, bloomington
  • circle k 39, bloomington
  • circle k 4700049, bloomington
  • circle k 4700056, ellettsville
  • circle k 4700079, bloomington
  • circle k 4700156, bloomington
  • circle k 4702429, bloomington
  • circle k 48, bloomington
  • convenience +, bloomington
  • express mart, bloomington
  • fairfax petro llc, bloomington
  • foodmart, ellettsville
  • friendly food pantry, bloomington
  • harrodsburg food mart, bloomington
  • jai umiya inc, bloomington
  • lakeside market, bloomington
  • misal inc, bloomington
  • murphy usa 7399, bloomington
  • on the way, bloomington
  • on the way, bloomington
  • on the way, bloomington
  • quick silver, bloomington
  • r&h petroleum inc, bloomington
  • rogers & country club food mart, bloomington
  • short stop eastside, bloomington
  • smithville food mart, bloomington
  • speedway 1327, bloomington
  • speedway 5183, bloomington
  • speedway 6009, bloomington
  • speedway 6010, bloomington
  • sunoco food mart, bloomington
  • village pantry 5499, bloomington
  • west plaza bloom inc, bloomington

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • cvs 10676, bloomington
  • cvs 6697, bloomington
  • cvs 6698, bloomington
  • cvs 6713, bloomington
  • cvs 8665, bloomington
  • cvs pharmacy 3195, bloomington
  • dollar general 1851, bloomington
  • dollar general 6174, bloomington
  • dollar general 9244, bloomington
  • dollar tree 1854, bloomington
  • dollar tree 1951, bloomington
  • family dollar store 5431, bloomington
  • rose hill farm stop, bloomington

Super Store · 11

  • fresh thyme market 209blm, bloomington
  • fresh thyme market 215bin, bloomington
  • hometown iga 464, bloomington
  • kroger j-091, bloomington
  • kroger j-900, bloomington
  • kroger j-928, bloomington
  • kroger j-960 960, bloomington
  • kroger 330, bloomington
  • sam's club 6437, bloomington
  • target store 1878, bloomington
  • walmart supercenter 1991, bloomington

Farmers' Market · 4

  • bethel lane farm stop nafmnp, bloomington
  • bloomington community farmers market, bloomington
  • bloomington winter farmers market, bloomington
  • people's cooperative market, bloomington

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 44029, bloomington
  • aldi 44030 44030, bloomington
  • bloomingfoods market & deli, bloomington
  • bloomingfoods market and deli, bloomington

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • apna bazaar, bloomington
  • long cheng market, bloomington
  • world foods market, bloomington

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • b-town international market, bloomington
  • the butchers block, bloomington

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Indiana

Adams County
17.5% low-access · 6.6% SNAP
Allen County
37.8% low-access · 9.1% SNAP
Bartholomew County
36.4% low-access · 7.4% SNAP
Benton County
1.7% low-access · 11.7% SNAP
Blackford County
15.2% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Boone County
17.9% low-access · 3.7% SNAP

Compare Monroe County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →

Food access nationally, Indiana in context

Monroe County sits inside Indiana (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Monroe County has low food access? ▼
18.3% of residents in Monroe County, IN live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Monroe County? ▼
6.0% of households in Monroe County receive SNAP, covering 3,564 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Monroe County? ▼
The poverty rate in Monroe County, IN is 19.7%, with a median household income of $65,868 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Monroe County a food desert? ▼
4 of Monroe County's 31 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Monroe County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.4% of households in Monroe County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.