Signature · 36.1% low-access (82nd pct)
Phillips County, MT
Phillips County sits in the upper national band on low-access (36.1%, +14 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 36.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 7.0%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Phillips County, MT
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 36.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +14.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 7.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 0.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Sheridan County ( -0.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Phillips County sits in the upper national band (36.1%, #551 of 3,079).
- #551
- national by low-access %
- #24
- in MT
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 565
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 36.1% low-access (82nd pct) (+14 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Phillips County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Phillips County's 36.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 82% of them and ranked #551 most-affected nationwide.
Phillips County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Phillips County has 0 urban and 1 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.
Phillips County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Montana, not a full county-board reprint
- Wibaux
Wibaux 100%
100 % low-access
- Fergus 39.4
Fergus 39.4%
39.4 % low-access
- Phillips 36.1
Phillips 36.1%
36.1 % low-access
- Sheridan 35.2
Sheridan 35.2%
35.2 % low-access
- Wheatland 34.5
Wheatland 34.5%
34.5 % low-access
- Blaine 34
Blaine 34%
34 % low-access
- Ravalli 2.7
Ravalli 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,253 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,536 |
| Low-Access Share | 36.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 565 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,221 |
| Median Household Income | $53,417 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 124 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.0%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 0.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
Slim SNAP store book in Phillips County
Phillips County has 4 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 1 locations (25% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- family dollar 13153, holden
Convenience Store · 1
- buckhorn store, cabins & rv, zortman
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- saco pay-n-save, saco
Supermarket · 1
- albertsons 2013, malta
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Montana
One of 55 counties in Montana, 6 are shown here.
Compare Phillips County vs Beaverhead County → · All Montana counties →
Phillips County inside a higher low-access state context
Phillips County sits inside Montana (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 Phillips County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30071. 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.