Signature · 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts)
Montgomery County, AR
Montgomery County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of the book) alongside 23.1% low-access.
- 23.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 9K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Montgomery County, AR
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 23.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 67% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Pike County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Montgomery County ranks #1,436 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #43 of 75 counties in AR (23.1% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,436
- national by low-access %
- #43
- in AR
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts) .
How Montgomery County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Montgomery County's 23.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,436 most-affected nationwide.
Montgomery County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 3 of Montgomery 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.
Montgomery County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Arkansas, not a full county-board reprint
- Calhoun
Calhoun 65.5%
65.5 % low-access
- White 23.6
White 23.6%
23.6 % low-access
- Pope 23.3
Pope 23.3%
23.3 % low-access
- Montgomery 23.1
Montgomery 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Pike 23.1
Pike 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Crittenden 22.5
Crittenden 22.5%
22.5 % low-access
- Izard 0.9
Izard 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 9,487 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,187 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.1%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,000 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,553 |
| Median Household Income | $48,906 |
| Poverty Rate | 22.4%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 373 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
SNAP retailers in Montgomery County
Montgomery County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 4 locations (57% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 7 authorized stores; Mount Ida holds 57% of them. 2 of the 3 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Norman, Pencil Bluff.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Ida | 4 | 1 |
| Norman | 2 | none |
| Pencil Bluff | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 18493, norman
- dollar general 22004, pencil bluff
- dollar general 6843, mount ida
- family dollar 2898, mount ida
Convenience Store · 2
- norman general store and cafe llc, norman
- tiger mart m, mount ida
Super Store · 1
- bob's food city, mount ida
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Arkansas
One of 74 counties in Arkansas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Montgomery County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Arkansas among West South Central states
Arkansas ranks 4th of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.9%). Montgomery County, at 23.1%, runs 1.8 pts below the Arkansas rate.
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 Montgomery County, AR are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 05097. 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.