Signature · 46 SNAP-authorized stores
Otero County, NM
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Otero 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).
- 23.9%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 21.6%
- on SNAP
- 69K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Otero County, NM
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 23.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 21.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 13% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grant County (+ 2.7 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Otero County ranks #1,374 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #30 of 33 counties in NM (23.9% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,374
- national by low-access %
- #30
- in NM
- 6
- 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: 46 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Otero County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Otero County's 23.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 56% of them and ranked #1,375 most-affected nationwide.
Otero County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Otero 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.
Otero County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- Chaves 28.2
Chaves 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Union 26.8
Union 26.8%
26.8 % 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
- 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) | 63,797 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 15,259 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.9%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,041 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 68,816 |
| Median Household Income | $55,876 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,283 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 21.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Otero County
Otero County has 46 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 18
- aiko's oriental food store 781, alamogordo
- allsups 009, alamogordo
- allsups 095, alamogordo
- allsups 102377, alamogordo
- allsups 143, cloudcroft
- busy bee general store n/a, timberon
- circle k 2741285, alamogordo
- circle k 2741296, alamogordo
- kent kwik 501, alamogordo
- la luz market, la luz
- maverik, inc 712, alamogordo
- murphy express 8880, alamogordo
- speedway 9121, alamogordo
- speedway 9122, alamogordo
- speedway 9123, alamogordo
- speedway 9124, tularosa
- timberon mountain market, timberon
- your community connection, alamogotdo
Combination Grocery/Other · 16
- dollar general 14122, alamogordo
- dollar general 18689, alamogordo
- dollar general 18749, west alamogordo
- dollar general 18864, alamogordo
- dollar general 12069, tularosa
- dollar general 13112, alamogordo
- dollar general 16043, alamogordo
- dollar general 24579, alamogordo
- dollar general 25215, chaparral
- dollar general 31078, alamogordo
- dollar general 31095, la luz
- dollar tree 3198, alamogordo
- dollar tree 6943, alamogordo
- family dollar 10933, cloudcroft
- family dollar store 4131, tularosa
- walgreens 9991, alamogordo
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- little store, chaparral
- mescalero tribal store, mescalero
- the little store 2, chaparral
Super Store · 3
- lowe's signature 55, alamogordo
- walmart 1306, alamogordo
- walmart neighborhood market 5726, alamogordo
Supermarket · 2
- albertson's market 681, alamogordo
- lowes 59, tularosa
Farmers' Market · 1
- alamogordo farmers market, alamogordo
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- a & m meat processing, alamogordo
Military Commissary · 1
- holloman afb commissary 818, holloman air force base
Small Grocery Store · 1
- the bear necessities, timberon
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 Otero County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Nationwide peers for Otero County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Otero 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 (23.9% here).
- Putnam County, OH · 23.9% low-access
- Putnam County, OH · 23.9% low-access
- Hood County, TX · 23.9% low-access
- Hood County, TX · 23.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (21.6% here).
- Caddo Parish, LA · 21.6% SNAP
- Caddo Parish, LA · 21.6% SNAP
- Mercer County, WV · 21.6% SNAP
- Mercer County, WV · 21.6% 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
Otero 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 Otero County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35035. 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.