County food-access profile · New Mexico
Lincoln County, NM
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lincoln 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).
- 38.4%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 14.7%
- on SNAP
- 20K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
38.4% of Lincoln County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
- 3.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 19.3%
- 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).
USDA data puts Lincoln County's low-access share at 38.4%, above the national share. 4 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 7,870 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,142 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 Lincoln County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lincoln County's 38.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #465 most-affected nationwide.
Lincoln County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Lincoln County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lincoln County vs. other New Mexico counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New Mexico
- Lincoln 38.4
Lincoln County, NM
38.4 % low-access
- Bernalillo 19.4
Bernalillo County, NM
19.4 % low-access
- Catron
Catron County, NM
100 % low-access
- Chaves 28.2
Chaves County, NM
28.2 % low-access
- Cibola 39.3
Cibola County, NM
39.3 % low-access
- Colfax 28.5
Colfax County, NM
28.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 20,497 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,870 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,142 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 20,224 |
| Median Household Income | $53,303 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,466 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.8% |
About 14.7% of Lincoln County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 38.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,466 households here.
- 3.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Lincoln County
above the national share
1 of Lincoln County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.0% of all its tracts.
A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.
An estimated 7,870 residents, roughly 38.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 3,142 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (20.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lincoln County
Lincoln County has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 10 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 10
- allsup's 102373, ruidoso
- allsups 102379, tinnie
- allsups 132, carrizozo
- allsups 339, ruidoso
- allsups 340, ruidoso
- allsups 341, ruidoso
- allsups 343, ruidoso
- circle k 2701341, ruidoso downs
- onda ruidoso downs shamrock 8008, ruidoso downs
- onda ruidoso shamrock 8005, ruidoso
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 13712, ruidoso
- dollar general 6659, ruidoso
- dollar general 24498, capitan
- dollar tree 3825, ruidoso
- family dollar 11403, carrizozo
- family dollar store 2954, ruidoso
- mario's market, ruidoso
- walgreens 04650, ruidoso
Supermarket · 3
- albertsons market 682, ruidoso
- lowe's 7, ruidoso
- smokeys country market, capitan
Small Grocery Store · 1
- el gallo loco carniceria y mas, ruidoso
Super Store · 1
- walmart 851, ruidoso downs
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New Mexico
Compare Lincoln County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Food access nationally, New Mexico in context
Lincoln County sits inside New Mexico (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Lincoln County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lincoln County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lincoln County? ▼
Is Lincoln County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lincoln County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.