Signature · 4.2% SNAP (0th pct in NM)
Los Alamos County, NM
Los Alamos County sits in the upper national band on low-access (44.6%, +22.5 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 44.6%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 4.2%
- on SNAP
- 19K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Los Alamos County, NM
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 44.6% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +22.5 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 4.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 2.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: San Miguel County (+ 0.8 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Los Alamos County sits in the upper national band (44.6%, #291 of 3,079).
- #291
- national by low-access %
- #9
- in NM
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 904
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 4.2% SNAP (0th pct in NM) (-7.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Los Alamos County compares nationally
Los Alamos County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 44.6% low-access share outpaces 91% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #291 most-affected nationwide.
Los Alamos County's elevated USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 4 of Los Alamos County's tracts are urban in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 1-mile test, the stricter of the two distance thresholds.
Los Alamos County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- San Miguel
San Miguel 45.4%
45.4 % low-access
- Los Alamos
Los Alamos 44.6%
44.6 % low-access
- Torrance
Torrance 40.7%
40.7 % low-access
- Cibola 39.3
Cibola 39.3%
39.3 % low-access
- San Juan 39.1
San Juan 39.1%
39.1 % low-access
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 17,950 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,997 |
| Low-Access Share | 44.6%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 904 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 19,435 |
| Median Household Income | $147,139 |
| Poverty Rate | 3.5%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 350 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.2%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.5% |
SNAP retailers in Los Alamos County
Los Alamos County has 8 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 2 locations (25% of the total), followed by super store.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 8 authorized stores; Los Alamos holds 75% of them. Every one of these towns has at least one grocery-grade outlet (4 across the county).
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos | 6 | 3 |
| White Rock | 2 | 1 |
Convenience Store · 2
- speedway 9129, white rock
- speedway 9130, los alamos
Super Store · 2
- smiths 432, white rock
- smith's food & drug 467, los alamos
Supermarket · 2
- los alamos cooperative market, los alamos
- natural grocers u162, los alamos
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's 010, los alamos
Farmers' Market · 1
- los alamos farmers market lacdc, los alamos
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 Los Alamos County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Counties near Los Alamos County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Los Alamos County (4.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside New Mexico.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NM (44.6% here).
- Custer County, NE · 44.6% low-access
- Woodford County, KY · 44.5% low-access
- Will County, IL · 44.5% low-access
- Navajo County, AZ · 44.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (4.2% here).
- Morton County, ND · 4.2% SNAP
- Platte County, MO · 4.2% SNAP
- Osage County, MO · 4.2% SNAP
- Dubois County, IN · 4.2% 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%). Los Alamos County, at 44.6%, runs 12.9 pts above 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 Los Alamos County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35028. 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.