Signature · 4.6% SNAP (24th pct in MT)
Sweet Grass County, MT
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Sweet Grass 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).
- 22.6%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 4.6%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Sweet Grass County, MT
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 22.6% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.5 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 4.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Fallon County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Sweet Grass County ranks #1,480 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #39 of 56 counties in MT (22.6% low-access).
- #1,480
- national by low-access %
- #39
- in MT
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 186
- 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: 4.6% SNAP (24th pct in MT) (-7.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Sweet Grass County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Sweet Grass County's 22.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 53% of them and ranked #1,480 most-affected nationwide.
Sweet Grass County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 1 of Sweet Grass County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Sweet Grass County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Montana, not a full county-board reprint
- Wibaux
Wibaux 100%
100 % low-access
- Rosebud 24.1
Rosebud 24.1%
24.1 % low-access
- Sweet Grass 22.6
Sweet Grass 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Fallon 22.4
Fallon 22.4%
22.4 % low-access
- Yellowstone 21.3
Yellowstone 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Beaverhead 20.1
Beaverhead 20.1%
20.1 % low-access
- Ravalli 2.7
Ravalli 2.7%
2.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 3,651 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 826 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.6%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 186 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,720 |
| Median Household Income | $77,000 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.9%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 72 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
Slim SNAP store book in Sweet Grass County
Sweet Grass County has 5 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 5 authorized stores are in Big Timber, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Convenience Store · 3
- the fort n/a, big timber
- town pump of big timber #1 0410, big timber
- town pump of big timber 6300, big timber
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- family dollar store 10618, big timber
Large Grocery Store · 1
- big t iga, big timber
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 Sweet Grass County vs Beaverhead County → · All Montana counties →
Montana among Mountain states
Montana ranks 7th of 8 Mountain states by population-weighted low-access (22.3%). Sweet Grass County, at 22.6%, runs 0.3 pts above the Montana rate.
- New Mexico 31.7%
- Wyoming 29.7%
- Arizona 26.8%
- Idaho 25.8%
- Utah 23.9%
- Nevada 23.0%
- Montana 22.3%
- Colorado 21.5%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Sweet Grass County, MT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 30097. 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.