PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Montgomery County, VA

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).

20.2%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
4.8%
on SNAP
99K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

20.2% of Montgomery County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

9
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.4%
households, no vehicle
23.9%
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 20.2%, above the national share. 9 of the county's 16 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 19,082 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,157 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 20.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,675 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Montgomery County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 16 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, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (43.8%) 5 tracts limited (31.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 44% Limited 31% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Montgomery County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Montgomery County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)94,392
Low-Access Tracts9
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population19,082
Low-Access Share20.2%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,157

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Montgomery County
IndicatorValue
Population99,101
Median Household Income$72,715
Poverty Rate23.9%well above the national average
SNAP Households1,782
SNAP Participation Rate4.8%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population10.9%
SNAP participation in Montgomery County 4.8%

About 4.8% of Montgomery County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 20.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 4.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,782 households here.
  • 6.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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

4 of Montgomery County's 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 9.

An estimated 19,082 residents, roughly 20.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,157 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (43.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Montgomery County

Montgomery County has 65 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 36 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 36

  • 7-eleven 15112a, blacksburg
  • 7-eleven inc f 18233a, blacksburg
  • 7-eleven store 39896h, christiansburg
  • 7-eleven, inc. 36170j, christiansburg
  • 7-eleven 18293c 18293c, blacksburg
  • annie kays main street market, blacksburg
  • christiansburg handy mart, christiansburg
  • cachito mio tienda latina llc, christiansburg
  • christy stephens llc, radford
  • d&d speedy mart, christiansburg
  • duck in deli # 5, christiansburg
  • duck in deli #4, christiansburg
  • duck in deli #6, christiansburg
  • fas mart 3514, blacksburg
  • garry's, christiansburg
  • k & s food mart (exxon), blacksburg
  • love's travel stop 574, elliston
  • lucky stop 2, christiansburg
  • nrvminimart inc, christiansburg
  • pilot mountain grocery, pilot
  • riner food center, riner
  • riverway, blacksburg
  • sandstone market, christiansburg
  • sheetz 320, christiansburg
  • sheetz 750, christiansburg
  • sheetz 805, blacksburg
  • snuffy's general store, blacksburg
  • speedway 4625, christiansburg
  • speedway 4626, blacksburg
  • speedway 4627, blacksburg
  • stop in food store 8144, elliston
  • stop in food stores 8163, blacksburg
  • stop in food stores 8242, christiansburg
  • sunset deli mart, elliston
  • white creek market, shawsville
  • wyatt's country store, shawsville

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • cvs pharmacy 6329, blacksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 7543, christiansburg
  • cvs pharmacy 3460, blacksburg
  • dollar general 12363, shawsville
  • dollar general 15650, riner
  • dollar general 21820, blacksburg
  • dollar general 3722, christiansburg
  • dollar general store 16747, radford
  • dollar general store 16802, elliston
  • dollar tree 2178, blacksburg
  • dollar tree 221, christiansburg
  • walgreens 07606, christiansburg

Super Store · 6

  • dollar general market 9820, christiansburg
  • kroger 402, blacksburg
  • kroger 210, blacksburg
  • kroger 345, christiansburg
  • target stores 1292, christiansburg
  • walmart supercenter 1292, christiansburg

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 66074, christiansburg
  • earth fare 790, christiansburg
  • food lion 1397, christiansburg
  • food lion 2573, blacksburg
  • food lion 425, blacksburg
  • food lion 451, christiansburg

Farmers' Market · 2

  • christiansburg farmers' market, christiansburg
  • friends of the farmers market, inc., blacksburg

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • eats natural foods coop inc, blacksburg
  • oasis world market, blacksburg

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • super amanecer 3 incorporated 1, christiansburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Montgomery County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Montgomery County sits inside Virginia (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? ▼
20.2% of residents in Montgomery County, VA 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? ▼
4.8% of households in Montgomery County receive SNAP, covering 1,782 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Montgomery County? ▼
The poverty rate in Montgomery County, VA is 23.9%, with a median household income of $72,715 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Montgomery County a food desert? ▼
4 of Montgomery County's 16 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? ▼
6.4% 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.