Signature · 4 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Montrose County, CO
Montrose County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 22.0% low-access.
- 22.0%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 11.2%
- on SNAP
- 44K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Montrose County, CO
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 22.0% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lincoln County (+ 0.9 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Montrose County ranks #1,527 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #33 of 63 counties in CO (22.0% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,527
- national by low-access %
- #33
- in CO
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 4 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Montrose County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Montrose County's 22.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,527 most-affected nationwide.
Montrose County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Montrose County has 4 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.
Montrose County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Colorado, not a full county-board reprint
- Kiowa
Kiowa 100%
100 % low-access
- Jefferson 23.2
Jefferson 23.2%
23.2 % low-access
- Weld 23.1
Weld 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Lincoln 22.9
Lincoln 22.9%
22.9 % low-access
- Yuma 22.9
Yuma 22.9%
22.9 % low-access
- Montrose 22
Montrose 22%
22 % low-access
- Gilpin 0
Gilpin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 10 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 41,276 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 9,077 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.0%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,160 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 43,807 |
| Median Household Income | $72,120 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,023 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Montrose County
Montrose County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 12 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 12
- alta 6126, montrose
- claudia's bakery n/a, montrose
- el super 1, montrose
- golden gate petroleum 77, montrose
- good 2 go montrose 709, montrose
- humdinger 17, olathe
- humdinger's travel shoppe 15, montrose
- maverik, inc 616, montrose
- pour gas gas & mini-mart 1, montrose
- shell food plaza, montrose
- smart market, montrose
- stinker store 316, montrose
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 10864, montrose
- dollar general 21938, olathe
- dollar general 30758, montrose
- dollar tree 3442, montrose
- family dollar store 10532, nucla
- walgreens 0403, montrose
Super Store · 4
- city market 403, montrose
- city market 440, montrose
- target stores t- 2343, montrose
- walmart sc 1058, montrose
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- busy corner market, olathe
- carniceria sonora montrose llc, montrose
Small Grocery Store · 2
- carniceria el senor de los cortes llc, montrose
- wild gal's market, nucla
Supermarket · 2
- natural grocers by vitamin cottage u034, montrose
- safeway 1131, montrose
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza co 057, montrose
Farmers' Market · 1
- montrose farmers market, montrose
Large Grocery Store · 1
- family market, naturita
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 Montrose County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →
Nationwide peers for Montrose County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Montrose 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 (22.0% here).
- Adams County, OH · 22.0% low-access
- Adams County, OH · 22.0% low-access
- Chippewa County, WI · 22.0% low-access
- Chippewa County, WI · 22.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CO (11.2% here).
- Franklin County, AR · 11.2% SNAP
- Franklin County, AR · 11.2% SNAP
- Whitfield County, GA · 11.2% SNAP
- Whitfield County, GA · 11.2% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Colorado in context
Montrose 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 Montrose County, CO are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 08085. 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.