County food-access profile · Kentucky
Morgan County, KY
Most of Morgan County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 7.6%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 18.6%
- on SNAP
- 14K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
7.6% of Morgan County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 577
- food-desert residents
- 5.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.1%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Morgan County fares better than most: just 7.6% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 5 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,058 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 577 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 Morgan County compares nationally
Food access in Morgan County compares favorably nationally: its 7.6% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 15% of them (rank #2,671).
Morgan County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Morgan County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Morgan County vs. other Kentucky counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Kentucky
- Morgan 7.6
Morgan County, KY
7.6 % low-access
- Adair 6.5
Adair County, KY
6.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, KY
21.7 % low-access
- Anderson 7.8
Anderson County, KY
7.8 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard County, KY
0 % low-access
- Barren
Barren County, KY
15.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 13,923 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,058 |
| Low-Access Share | 7.6%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 577 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 14,053 |
| Median Household Income | $47,913 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.1%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 907 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 12.0% |
About 18.6% of Morgan County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 7.6% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 18.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 907 households here.
- 5.6% 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 Morgan County
below the national share
1 of Morgan County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 1,058 residents, roughly 7.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 577 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 4 tracts (80.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Morgan County
Morgan County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 9 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 9
- americas quickmart#16, west liberty
- apb llc, west liberty
- caney valley grocery, west liberty
- clark's pump-n-shop 28, west liberty
- j a oldfield & son inc, mize
- liberty mart, west liberty
- liberty mart, west liberty
- village grocery, ezel
- west liberty double kwik 2063 2074, west liberty
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 14443, west liberty
- dollar general 19822, west liberty
- dollar general 23831, west liberty
- dollar general 7418, west liberty
- family dollar 4748, west liberty
- family dollar store 2091, west liberty
Small Grocery Store · 1
- betty's grocery, west liberty
Super Store · 1
- west liberty iga, west liberty
Supermarket · 1
- houchen's save a lot 419, west liberty
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Kentucky
Compare Morgan County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Food access nationally, Kentucky in context
Morgan County sits inside Kentucky (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 Morgan County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Morgan County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Morgan County? ▼
Is Morgan County a food desert? ▼
What share of Morgan 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.