Signature · 79 SNAP-authorized stores
Lea County, NM
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lea 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).
- 20.7%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 19.8%
- on SNAP
- 74K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lea County, NM
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 20.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Bernalillo County ( -1.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lea County ranks #1,631 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #31 of 33 counties in NM (20.7% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,631
- national by low-access %
- #31
- in NM
- 8
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- 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: 79 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Lea County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lea County's 20.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,631 most-affected nationwide.
Lea County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
18 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Lea County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (13 urban, 5 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 5 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Lea County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- Grant 26.6
Grant 26.6%
26.6 % low-access
- Otero 23.9
Otero 23.9%
23.9 % low-access
- Lea 20.7
Lea 20.7%
20.7 % low-access
- Bernalillo 19.4
Bernalillo 19.4%
19.4 % low-access
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 18 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 64,727 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 8 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 13,396 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.7%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,634 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 73,733 |
| Median Household Income | $68,015 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,886 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Lea County
Lea County has 79 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 40 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
5 towns share the 79 authorized stores; Hobbs holds 61% of them. 1 of the 5 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Tatum.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Hobbs | 48 | 7 |
| Lovington | 16 | 2 |
| Eunice | 6 | 1 |
| Jal | 6 | 1 |
| Tatum | 3 | none |
Convenience Store · 40
- 7-eleven, inc. 21307, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42437, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42438, lovington
- 7-eleven, inc. 42460, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42461, jal
- 7-eleven, inc. 42462, lovington
- 7-eleven, inc. 42475, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42476, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42543, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42553, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42554, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42558, hobbs
- 7-eleven, inc. 42588, tatum
- 7-eleven, inc. 42590, hobbs
- allsup's 102470, eunice
- allsups 001, eunice
- allsups 003, hobbs
- allsups 006, hobbs
- allsups 032, jal
- allsups 035, hobbs
- allsups 036, hobbs
- allsups 037, hobbs
- allsups 063, tatum
- allsups 102308, jal
- allsups 109, lovington
- allsups 117, lovington
- allsups 118, lovington
- allsups 138, hobbs
- allsups 142, hobbs
- allsups 144, hobbs
- allsups 145, hobbs
- allsups 146, hobbs
- allsups 220, lovington
- love's travel stop 760, eunice
- maverik, inc 728, lovington
- murphy express 8735, hobbs
- pilot travel center 1165, jal
- pilot travel center 557, hobbs
- popcorn alley nm, hobbs
- tio juan meat market llc, hobbs
Combination Grocery/Other · 26
- dollar general 10019, hobbs
- dollar general 13267, eunice
- dollar general 6303, lovington
- dollar tree 2590, hobbs
- dollar general 13270, hobbs
- dollar general 16442, jal
- dollar general 18344, hobbs
- dollar general 22297, hobbs
- dollar general 22830, hobbs
- dollar general 24044, hobbs
- dollar general 24954, hobbs
- dollar general 25334, lovington
- dollar general 25675, hobbs
- dollar general 25908, hobbs
- dollar tree 5420, lovington
- family dollar 11131, hobbs
- family dollar 12395, hobbs
- family dollar store 10448, lovington
- family dollar store 10802, tatum
- family dollar store 11078, lovington
- family dollar store 1620, hobbs
- family dollar store 2528, eunice
- family dollar store 2978, lovington
- family dollar store 4269, hobbs
- walgreens 2349, hobbs
- walgreens 12793, hobbs
Super Store · 5
- bobs supermarket, lovington
- la esperanza meat market-tihara llc, hobbs
- la tienda inc, hobbs
- thriftway supermarket, hobbs
- walmart 549, hobbs
Supermarket · 3
- albertsons 680, hobbs
- lowes 4, eunice
- la carniceria llc 5759641326, hobbs
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- kendall's kountry meat market, hobbs
- mi pueblito meat market, lovington
Small Grocery Store · 2
- carniceria la unica, lovington
- la perla del sur latin market llc, hobbs
Large Grocery Store · 1
- lowes 14, jal
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 Lea County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Nationwide peers for Lea County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Lea 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 (20.7% here).
- Franklin County, NY · 20.7% low-access
- Beaufort County, NC · 20.7% low-access
- Deaf Smith County, TX · 20.7% low-access
- Parker County, TX · 20.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (19.8% here).
- Polk County, OR · 19.8% SNAP
- Bristol County, MA · 19.8% SNAP
- Ouachita Parish, LA · 19.8% SNAP
- Marion County, IL · 19.8% 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.
New Mexico among Mountain states
New Mexico ranks 1st of 8 Mountain states by population-weighted low-access (31.7%). Lea County, at 20.7%, runs 11.0 pts below the New Mexico 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 Lea County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35025. 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.