Signature · 3.5% low-access (8th pct)
Monroe County, KY
Monroe County lands in the lower national band on low-access (3.5%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 3.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 15.5%
- on SNAP
- 11K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Monroe County, KY
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 3.5% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -18.6 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Henry County (+ 0.1 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Monroe County lands in the lower national band (3.5%, #2,887 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,887
- national by low-access %
- #85
- in KY
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 189
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 3.5% low-access (8th pct) (-18.6 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Monroe County compares nationally
Food access in Monroe County compares favorably nationally: its 3.5% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 8% of them (rank #2,887).
Monroe County's lower-band USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 4 of Monroe County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Monroe County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint
- Robertson
Robertson 74.8%
74.8 % low-access
- Hickman 3.7
Hickman 3.7%
3.7 % low-access
- Henry 3.6
Henry 3.6%
3.6 % low-access
- Monroe 3.5
Monroe 3.5%
3.5 % low-access
- Lyon 3.3
Lyon 3.3%
3.3 % low-access
- McLean 3.3
McLean 3.3%
3.3 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 10,963 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 381 |
| Low-Access Share | 3.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 189 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 11,269 |
| Median Household Income | $51,280 |
| Poverty Rate | 22.1%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 720 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
SNAP retailers in Monroe County
Monroe County has 12 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 4 locations (33% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 12 authorized stores; Tompkinsville holds 67% of them. 2 of the 3 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Gamaliel, Fountain Run.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Tompkinsville | 8 | 2 |
| Gamaliel | 3 | none |
| Fountain Run | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 2042, tompkinsville
- dollar general 3808, gamaliel
- dollar general 12153, fountain run
- dollar tree 5748, tompkinsville
Convenience Store · 4
- falcon's nest market, tompkinsville
- fivestar 9880, tompkinsville
- gamaliel hometown market, gamaliel
- gamaliel market and deli, gamaliel
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- chestnut grove market, tompkinsville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- patterson's butcher shop, tompkinsville
Super Store · 1
- walmart 2654, tompkinsville
Supermarket · 1
- price less foods 59, tompkinsville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kentucky
One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.
Compare Monroe County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Counties near Monroe County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Monroe County, both outside Kentucky so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside KY (3.5% here).
- Lawrence County, TN · 3.5% low-access
- Monroe County, GA · 3.4% low-access
- Camden County, NC · 3.6% low-access
- Champaign County, OH · 3.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside KY (15.5% here).
- Sangamon County, IL · 15.5% SNAP
- Mason County, IL · 15.5% SNAP
- Greene County, IL · 15.5% SNAP
- Stone County, MS · 15.5% 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.
Kentucky among East South Central states
Kentucky ranks 4th of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (19.8%). Monroe County, at 3.5%, runs 16.3 pts below the Kentucky rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21171. 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.