Signature · 5 LILA tracts (31.3% of tracts)
Chaves County, NM
Chaves County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 5 LILA tracts (31.3% of the book) alongside 28.2% low-access.
- 28.2%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 25.0%
- on SNAP
- 64K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Chaves County, NM
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 28.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 5 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 25.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 31% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Taos County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Chaves County ranks #1,065 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #26 of 33 counties in NM (28.2% low-access; 5 food-desert tracts).
- #1,065
- national by low-access %
- #26
- in NM
- 9
- low-access tracts
- 11K
- 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: 5 LILA tracts (31.3% of tracts) .
How Chaves County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Chaves County's 28.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 66% of them and ranked #1,073 most-affected nationwide.
Chaves County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 5 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Chaves County has 10 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.
Chaves County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- Sierra 29.2
Sierra 29.2%
29.2 % low-access
- Colfax 28.5
Colfax 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Guadalupe 28.5
Guadalupe 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Chaves 28.2
Chaves 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Taos 28.2
Taos 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 16 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 65,645 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 9 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 18,481 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 10,722 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 64,217 |
| Median Household Income | $52,938 |
| Poverty Rate | 24.3%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,927 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 25.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.5% |
Thick SNAP store book in Chaves County
Chaves County has 65 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 29
- 7-eleven, inc. 42445, roswell
- 7-eleven, inc. 42446, roswell
- 7-eleven, inc. 42447, roswell
- 7-eleven, inc. 42455, roswell
- 7-eleven, inc. 42456, roswell
- 7-eleven, inc. 42459, roswell
- allsup's 102392, roswell
- allsups 025, roswell
- allsups 121, roswell
- allsups 136, roswell
- allsups 160, roswell
- allsups 233, roswell
- allsups 251, hagerman
- allsups 261, dexter
- allsups 268, roswell
- allsups 286, roswell
- allsups 289, roswell
- allsups 335, roswell
- awc propane, roswell
- bell gas inc station 60, roswell
- dulceria alegria, roswell
- el metate tortilleria, roswell
- maverik, inc 750, roswell
- murphy express 8608, roswell
- murphy usa 7908, roswell
- roadrunner express 1, roswell
- south main shamrock 8003, roswell
- united express 690, roswell
- west second shamrock 102, roswell
Combination Grocery/Other · 22
- asian market, roswell
- cvs pharmacy 11332, roswell
- dollar general 13978, dexter
- dollar general 6297, roswell
- dollar general 6308, roswell
- dollar tree 2736, roswell
- dollar general 11830, roswell
- dollar general 13268, roswell
- dollar general 25610, hagerman
- dollar general 30412, roswell
- dollar general 6868, roswell
- dollar tree 5044, roswell
- family dollar 13828, roswell
- family dollar store 10463, dexter
- family dollar store 11070, roswell
- family dollar store 2546, roswell
- family dollar store 4366, roswell
- family dollar store 6183, roswell
- family dollar store 7684, hagerman
- graves farm and garden, roswell
- walgreens 1941, roswell
- walgreens 5350, roswell
Super Store · 6
- farmers country market # 4, roswell
- farmers country market 5, roswell
- sam's club 4961, roswell
- shamrock foodservice warehouse 534, roswell
- target store 832, roswell
- walmart 611, roswell
Supermarket · 3
- albertsons 690, roswell
- albertson market 691, roswell
- farmers country market 1, roswell
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- gto beef jerky & meat market, roswell
- super meat mart, roswell
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's nm036, roswell
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- cara blanca meat market, roswell
Small Grocery Store · 1
- irma's market, dexter
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in New Mexico
One of 32 counties in New Mexico, 6 are shown here.
Compare Chaves County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Nationwide peers for Chaves County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Chaves County, both outside New Mexico so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NM (28.2% here).
- Catawba County, NC · 28.2% low-access
- Catawba County, NC · 28.2% low-access
- Dodge County, NE · 28.2% low-access
- Dodge County, NE · 28.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (25.0% here).
- Meigs County, OH · 25.1% SNAP
- Choctaw County, OK · 24.9% SNAP
- Somerset County, MD · 24.9% SNAP
- St. Bernard Parish, LA · 25.1% 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, New Mexico in context
Chaves County sits inside New Mexico (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 Chaves County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35005. 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.