PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Montgomery County, KY

Montgomery 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.

14.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
16.5%
on SNAP
28K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

14.6% of Montgomery County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
5.1%
households, no vehicle
15.4%
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).

Montgomery County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.6% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 6 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,857 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,675 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 Montgomery County compares nationally

Montgomery County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.6% low-access share that beats 31% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,147).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Montgomery County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (83.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 83% Limited 0% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Montgomery County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Montgomery County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Montgomery County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)26,499
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,857
Low-Access Share14.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,675

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Montgomery County
IndicatorValue
Population28,395
Median Household Income$56,396
Poverty Rate15.4%near the national average
SNAP Households1,816
SNAP Participation Rate16.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.2%
SNAP participation in Montgomery County 16.5%

About 16.5% of Montgomery County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,816 households here.
  • 5.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Montgomery County

near the national share

1 of Montgomery County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

An estimated 3,857 residents, roughly 14.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,675 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (83.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Montgomery County

Montgomery County has 42 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 24 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 24

  • a1 food mart, mount sterling
  • apple market 536, mount sterling
  • b kwik 4, mount sterling
  • beckham produce supply llc - karl's produce, mount sterling
  • bee kwick, mount sterling
  • bypass shell, mount sterling
  • circle k 2723259, mt sterling
  • faststop, jeffersonville
  • jeffersonville foodmart llc, jeffersonville
  • jnb petroleum, jeffersonville
  • lulu's marathon, mount sterling
  • mdd llc - mt sterling shell, mount sterling
  • mt sterling corner store, mount sterling
  • mt sterling food mart, mount sterling
  • mt. sterling groceries, mount sterling
  • mt. sterling mart, mount sterling
  • mts 64 food mart, mount sterling
  • murphy express 8675, mount sterling
  • pilot travel center 41, mount sterling
  • speedway 9650, mt sterling
  • sk food mart, jeffersonville
  • super express llc, mount sterling
  • town and country minute market, mount sterling
  • zip zone express 11, mt sterling

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • big lots 3102, mount sterling
  • cvs pharmacy 6337, mount sterling
  • dollar general 0889, mount sterling
  • dollar general 1504, mount sterling
  • dollar general 13418, mt sterling
  • dollar general 17071, jeffersonville
  • dollar general 23014, mount sterling
  • dollar general 25828, mount sterling
  • dollar general 31392, mount sterling
  • dollar general 31421, jeffersonville
  • dollar tree 1127, mount sterling
  • family dollar 646, mount sterling
  • family dollar 7170, jeffersonville

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • kingfishers, mount sterling
  • walnut leaf country market llc, mount sterling

Super Store · 2

  • kroger #l-00712 l712, mount sterling
  • walmart 1140, mount sterling

Supermarket · 1

  • save a lot 22809, mt sterling

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Montgomery County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Montgomery County sits inside Kentucky (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 Montgomery County has low food access? ▼
14.6% of residents in Montgomery County, KY 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 Montgomery County? ▼
16.5% of households in Montgomery County receive SNAP, covering 1,816 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Montgomery County? ▼
The poverty rate in Montgomery County, KY is 15.4%, with a median household income of $56,396 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Montgomery County a food desert? ▼
1 of Montgomery County's 6 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 Montgomery County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.1% of households in Montgomery 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.