County food-access profile · Ohio
Montgomery County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Montgomery County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 28.8%
- low-access pop.
- 35
- food-desert tracts
- 13.5%
- on SNAP
- 536K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.8% of Montgomery County residents live in a low-access area, and 35 of its 152 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 71
- low-access tracts
- 54K
- food-desert residents
- 8.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.0%
- 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).
USDA data puts Montgomery County's low-access share at 28.8%, above the national share. 71 of the county's 152 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 153,955 people. 35 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 54,238 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
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Montgomery County's 28.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,019 most-affected nationwide.
Montgomery County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 152 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).
Montgomery County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Montgomery
Montgomery County, OH
28.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 152 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 535,153 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 71 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 35 |
| Low-Access Population | 153,955 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.8%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 54,238 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 536,096 |
| Median Household Income | $66,139 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.0%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 31,126 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.5%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
About 13.5% of Montgomery County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 31,126 households here.
- 8.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 35 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 Montgomery County
above the national share
35 of Montgomery County's 152 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 23.0% of all its tracts.
A further 36 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 71.
An estimated 153,955 residents, roughly 28.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 54,238 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 81 tracts (53.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Montgomery County
Montgomery County has 459 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 128 locations (28% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 128
- (dryden) marathon, moraine
- 1 suite gift shop, dayton
- 2001 needmore sunoco, dayton
- 3351 main st moraine llc 6466787323, moraine
- 3rd st shell, dayton
- 7851 marathon, dayton
- a-1 foodmart, dayton
- am pm w 3rd market, dayton
- airway drive thru, dayton
- airway shell, dayton
- all in one roaddog 109, dayton
- am pm market, dayton
- bp quick stop 449, dayton
- bingo drive through na, dayton
- bodega on wilkinson, dayton
- bp gas station, miamisburg
- brown st sunoco 39, dayton
- byers road 727, miamisburg
- casey's 3707, huber heights
- casey's 4402, brookville
- circle k 4705735, dayton
- citizen market, dayton
- casey's 4242, huber heights
- casey's general store 3555, new lebanon
- casey's general store 3667, clayton
- centerpoint shell 8, dayton
- chemtag fashion and african market, dayton
- circle k 4705344, dayton
- circle k 4705718, moraine
- circle m, dayton
- clark gas station, dayton
- clark gas station, dayton
- clark gas station, dayton
- clayton 711, clayton
- community food mart, dayton
- cork n brew, dayton
- coronette market, dayton
- county line shell, dayton
- day cin petroleum, dayton
- dayton bp 571, dayton
- dayton mart, dayton
- dayton nutra foods, trotwood
- delphos market, dayton
- dixie food mart, dayton
- dixie stop, dayton
- downtown stop llc 1, dayton
- express mart, dayton
- east fifth gas, dayton
- el mercadito llc, dayton
- englewood shell, englewood
- ephrem marathon, dayton
- everyday food mart, dayton
- farmersville sunoco, farmersville
- fat daddy's roaddog, moraine
- food mart oxford, dayton
- four points 1023 inc 1, dayton
- free pike shell, dayton
- g & g mini mart 1, dayton
- germantown drivethru, germantown
- giant oil 572 - salem stop llc, dayton
- gill food mart inc, dayton
- gnk eastwood market, dayton
- gnr carryout, dayton
- gnr market llc, dayton
- gnr market llc, dayton
- gr 596, brookville
- gr590, dayton
- great fuel bp, dayton
- h h & g stores inc, dayton
- h&s foods llc, dayton
- happy asian mart, dayton
- heincke ameristop, miamisburg
- hetvi corporation, dayton
- huber shell, dayton
- ivaan oil llc, dayton
- jackies market, dayton
- jay shree krishna llc, dayton
- k food mart, dayton
- k pantry mart, dayton
- kaseys food mart, germantown
- keowee sunoco, dayton
- linden drive thru 0, dayton
- linden stop giant 576, dayton
- love's travel stop 427, dayton
- main marathon, dayton
- main mart, dayton
- main st mini mart, dayton
- main street carryout, miamisburg
- marathon, dayton
- marathon, dayton
- marathon 311 0, englewood
- marathon 4351, dayton
- marathon 4600, dayton
- marathon food mart, dayton
- marathon food mart, dayton
- marathon gas station, dayton
- marathon quick mart, dayton
- meijer gas station 102, kettering
- meijer gas station 103, dayton
- meijer gas station 106, englewood
- meijer gas station 241, huber heights
- miamisburg 804, miamisburg
- midnight carryout, dayton
- midway marathon, germantown
- more for less, dayton
- msg grocery, dayton
- murphy usa 6935, moraine
- murphy usa 7162, clayton
- nick's food mart, dayton
- north dayton drivethru, dayton
- northtown drive thru, dayton
- nutra foods huber heights llc, dayton
- om oil brookville, brookville
- om oil dixie 1, dayton
- om oil needmore, dayton
- om oil north main llc, dayton
- om oil trotwood, trotwood
- one minute stop llc, brookville
- one stop, dayton
- pippins market, trotwood
- ps sandhu inc, dayton
- parker fuels, dayton
- pick n roll drive thru, dayton
- pilot travel center 97, vandalia
- quick mart, dayton
- quick shop, miamisburg
- quiktrip 7092, dayton
- quiktrip 7096, dayton
Combination Grocery/Other · 121
- african grocery and market, west carrollton
- chamberlain tomato company, dayton
- cvs 2528, oakwood
- cvs 3080, huber heights
- cvs 3420, kettering
- cvs 3447, dayton
- cvs 3453, dayton
- cvs 3462, dayton
- cvs 3467, dayton
- cvs 3477, centerville
- cvs 4401, dayton
- cvs 6138, miamisburg
- cvs 6141, trotwood
- cvs 7767, union
- cvs pharmacy 5364, germantown
- covered wagon farm market, union
- dayton fish co, dayton
- dollar general 10244, west carrollton
- dollar general 14333, dayton
- dollar general 14664, dayton
- dollar general 14936, dayton
- dollar general 22467, hubert heights
- dollar general 2294, miamisburg
- dollar general 2890, dayton
- dollar general 3354, moraine
- dollar general 4082, miamisburg
- dollar general 4520, centerville
- dollar general 4702, kettering
- dollar general 4987, germantown
- dollar general 7235, brookville
- dollar general 7331, new lebanon
- dollar general 8469, kettering
- dollar tree 3436, moraine
- dollartree 10156, dayton
- dayton african market 252, dayton
- discount drug mart 58, centerville
- dollar general 10807, dayton
- dollar general 11852, dayton
- dollar general 11863, dayton
- dollar general 12203, dayton
- dollar general 13584, trotwood
- dollar general 15421, vandalia
- dollar general 15526, dayton
- dollar general 16895, trotwood
- dollar general 18233, phillipsburg
- dollar general 20394, dayton
- dollar general 24418, dayton
- dollar general 24929, new lebanon
- dollar general 25432, dayton
- dollar general 31142, clayton
- dollar general 31594, dayton
- dollar general 4161, dayton
- dollar general 4846, dayton
- dollar general 9971, englewood
- dollar general store 13203, dayton
- dollar general store 13205, dayton
- dollar tree 1342, miamisburg
- dollar tree 2023, kettering
- dollar tree 2115, dayton
- dollar tree 2127, huber heights
- dollar tree 2353, dayton
- dollar tree 2390, vandalia
- dollar tree 268, dayton
- dollar tree 6259, englewood
- dollar tree 6405, dayton
- dollar tree 6523, huber heights
- dollar tree 6698, dayton
- dollar tree 7192, dayton
- dollar tree 7288, trotwood
- dollar tree 7299, dayton
- dollar tree 7437, germantown
- family dollar 10115, kettering
- family dollar 13836, dayton
- family dollar 3786, dayton
- family dollar 8674, huber heights
- family dollar 8716, trotwood
- family dollar 8942, dayton
- family dollar store 2584, dayton
- family dollar store 3063, englewood
- family dollar store 3076, dayton
- family dollar store 3168, brookville
- family dollar store 3471, new lebanon
- family dollar store 3687, dayton
- family dollar store 4898, dayton
- family dollar store 5368, dayton
- family dollar store 6197, vandalia
- family dollar store 7086, dayton
- family dollar store 774, dayton
- family dollar store 789, dayton
- family dollar store 8162, dayton
- family dollar store 975, miamisburg
- groceryland, new lebanon
- health foods unlimited inc, centerville
- homefull gettysburg grocery, dayton
- lekki international market, dayton
- natural foods plus, dayton
- north main street food mart, dayton
- sanbad llc, moraine
- tropical supermarket, llc. no, dayton
- united dairy farmers 200, dayton
- united dairy farmers 213, dayton
- united dairy farmers 216, kettering
- united dairy farmers 218, dayton
- united dairy farmers 219, huber heights
- united dairy farmers 224, dayton
- united dairy farmers 225, dayton
- united dairy farmers 238, clayton
- united dairy farmers 243, dayton
- united dairy farmers 248, englewood
- walgreens 04521, huber heights
- walgreens 04567, centerville
- walgreens 04639, kettering
- walgreens 04975, dayton
- walgreens 04976, dayton
- walgreens 05517, dayton
- walgreens 04520, miamisburg
- walgreens 07256, dayton
- walgreens 07885, dayton
- walgreens 09873, centerville
- walgreens 10580, huber heights
- walgreens 12832, englewood
Bakery Specialty · 1
- schwebel's bakery outlet 43, dayton
Showing 250 of 459 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Montgomery County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Montgomery County sits inside Ohio (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
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? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Montgomery County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Montgomery County? ▼
Is Montgomery County a food desert? ▼
What share of Montgomery County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.