PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Colorado

Rio Grande County, CO

Rio Grande County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

17.6%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
17.0%
on SNAP
11K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 CO

The food-access picture

17.6% of Rio Grande County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
608
food-desert residents
7.2%
households, no vehicle
18.0%
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).

Rio Grande County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.6% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 3 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,109 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 608 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 Rio Grande County compares nationally

Rio Grande County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.6% low-access share that beats 39% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,907).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Rio Grande County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 3 census tracts in Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande County, CO USDA-defined food-access tiers: 1 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 3 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts adequate (33.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (66.7%) Adequate 33% Limited 0% Severe 67% Food-access tier distribution: Rio Grande County, CO
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Rio Grande County vs. other Colorado counties

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

% 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 Rio Grande County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts3
Atlas Population (2010 basis)11,982
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,109
Low-Access Share17.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population608

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Rio Grande County
IndicatorValue
Population11,321
Median Household Income$64,411
Poverty Rate18.0%above the national average
SNAP Households874
SNAP Participation Rate17.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%
SNAP participation in Rio Grande County 17.0%

About 17.0% of Rio Grande County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 17.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 874 households here.
  • 7.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Rio Grande County

near the national share

2 of Rio Grande County's 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 66.7% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,109 residents, roughly 17.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 608 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 1 tract (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Rio Grande County

Rio Grande County has 19 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (37% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 7

  • alta 3401, monte vista
  • alta 3502, monte vista
  • alta 5111, center
  • alta 6027, monte vista
  • alta 6657, del norte
  • everyday stores llc 5720, del norte
  • loves country store 30, monte vista

Combination Grocery/Other · 4

  • dollar general 19378, center
  • dollar general 17902, south fork
  • family dollar 5509, monte vista
  • family dollar store 9282, del norte

Supermarket · 3

  • pay and save, inc. dba lowe's 25, del norte
  • safeway 2810, monte vista
  • top value grocery, monte vista

Farmers' Market · 2

  • mercado del norte, del norte
  • monte vista farmers market, monte vista

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • k&j thriftway llc, center
  • rainbow grocery, south fork

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • simple foods market, del norte

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Colorado

Adams County
17.9% low-access · 10.3% SNAP
Alamosa County
27.7% low-access · 28.6% SNAP
Arapahoe County
13.6% low-access · 7.7% SNAP
Archuleta County
40.9% low-access · 6.9% SNAP
Baca County
25.2% low-access · 21.3% SNAP
Bent County
12.4% low-access · 21.4% SNAP

Compare Rio Grande County vs Adams County → · All Colorado counties →

Food access nationally, Colorado in context

Rio Grande County sits inside Colorado (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 Rio Grande County has low food access? ▼
17.6% of residents in Rio Grande County, CO 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 Rio Grande County? ▼
17.0% of households in Rio Grande County receive SNAP, covering 874 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Rio Grande County? ▼
The poverty rate in Rio Grande County, CO is 18.0%, with a median household income of $64,411 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Rio Grande County a food desert? ▼
2 of Rio Grande County's 3 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 Rio Grande County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.2% of households in Rio Grande 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.