Signature · 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of tracts)

Montezuma County, CO

Montezuma County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of the book) alongside 14.4% low-access.

14.4%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
11.9%
on SNAP
26K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 CO

USDA FARA access plate

County Montezuma County, CO

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-MODERATE 14.4% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -7.7 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 11.9% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 43% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: La Plata County (+ 0.4 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Montezuma County lands in the lower national band (14.4%, #2,163 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,163
national by low-access %
#43
in CO
3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents

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

Signature read: 3 LILA tracts (42.9% of tracts) .

How Montezuma County compares nationally

Montezuma County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.4% low-access share that beats 31% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,165).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Montezuma County's lower-band USDA tier split

7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Montezuma County, CO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (57.1%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (42.9%) Adequate 57% Limited 0% Severe 43% Food-access tier distribution: Montezuma County, CO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Montezuma County has 1 urban and 6 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.

Montezuma County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Colorado, 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 Montezuma County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)25,535
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population3,680
Low-Access Share14.4%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,867

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Montezuma County
IndicatorValue
Population26,412
Median Household Income$65,244
Poverty Rate13.3%near the national average
SNAP Households1,336
SNAP Participation Rate11.9%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%

Thick SNAP store book in Montezuma County

Montezuma County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • esmeraldas ranchito, cortez
  • fb organics, cortez
  • good 2 go store 710, cortez
  • good 2 go store 711, cortez
  • handy mart south, cortez
  • love's travel stop 850, cortez
  • maverik, inc 275, cortez
  • maverik, inc 497, cortez
  • maverik, inc 763, cortez
  • speedway 9491, bayfield
  • speedway 9492, cortez
  • speedway 9496, cortez
  • speedway 9498, dolores
  • speedway 9499, cortez
  • ute mountain travel center 2, towaco

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • dollar general 20981, cortez
  • dollar tree 3139, cortez
  • family dollar 11029, cortez
  • family dollar 11273, mancos
  • family dollar 11737, dolores
  • p & d grocery, mancos
  • walgreens 10370, cortez

Farmers' Market · 2

  • mancos valley farmers market, mancos
  • onward a legacy foundation dba cortez farmer's mar, cortez

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • nuchu market, cortez
  • zuma natural foods, mancos

Super Store · 2

  • city market 408, cortez
  • walmart sc 966, cortez

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphys pizza co102, cortez

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • dolores food market, dolores

Supermarket · 1

  • safeway 1892, cortez

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

Other Counties in Colorado

One of 63 counties in Colorado, 6 are shown here.

Compare Montezuma County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside CO (14.4% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside CO (11.9% 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.

Montezuma County inside a lower low-access state context

Montezuma County sits inside Colorado (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 Montezuma County, CO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 08083. 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.