Signature · 5 LILA tracts (83.3% of tracts)
Socorro County, NM
Socorro County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 5 LILA tracts (83.3% of the book) alongside 50.2% low-access.
- 50.2%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 24.8%
- on SNAP
- 16K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Socorro County, NM
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-SEVERE 50.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +28.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 5 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 24.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 83% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Sandoval County (+ 2.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Socorro County sits in the upper national band (50.2%, #204 of 3,079) with 5 LILA tracts.
- #204
- national by low-access %
- #7
- in NM
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- 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: 5 LILA tracts (83.3% of tracts) .
How Socorro County compares nationally
Socorro County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 50.2% low-access share outpaces 93% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #204 most-affected nationwide.
Socorro County's elevated USDA tier split
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 5 LILA.
Socorro County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (3 rural, 3 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 3 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Socorro 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
- McKinley
McKinley 54.7%
54.7 % low-access
- Sandoval
Sandoval 53.1%
53.1 % low-access
- Socorro
Socorro 50.2%
50.2 % low-access
- San Miguel
San Miguel 45.4%
45.4 % low-access
- Los Alamos
Los Alamos 44.6%
44.6 % low-access
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 17,866 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 8,961 |
| Low-Access Share | 50.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,874 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,200 |
| Median Household Income | $36,570 |
| Poverty Rate | 33.2%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,307 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 24.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.5% |
SNAP retailers in Socorro County
Socorro County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
5 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Socorro holds 67% of them. 4 of the 5 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Magdalena, Veguita, Alamo, Lemitar.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Socorro | 12 | 2 |
| Magdalena | 2 | none |
| Veguita | 2 | none |
| Alamo | 1 | none |
| Lemitar | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 7
- ax express conoco 155, socorro
- circle k 2706000, socorro
- circle k 2706998, socorro
- dk 743, socorro
- good 2 go 313, socorro
- good 2 go 314, socorro
- vtp llc, veguita
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 18422, veguita
- dollar general 24996, magdalena
- dollar general 6928, socorro
- rosales produce #1, socorro
Small Grocery Store · 2
- steer stop, llc, magdalena
- tiistsoh mini mart, alamo
Super Store · 2
- socorro supermart, socorro
- walmart supercenter 5492, socorro
Farmers' Market · 1
- socorro farmers market, socorro
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- bustamante farms market, lemitar
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- ortiz jerky llc, socorro
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 Socorro County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Counties near Socorro County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Socorro 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 (50.2% here).
- Hancock County, WV · 50.2% low-access
- Douglas County, NV · 50.1% low-access
- Wapello County, IA · 50.4% low-access
- San Juan County, UT · 49.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (24.8% here).
- Cameron County, TX · 24.8% SNAP
- Choctaw County, OK · 24.9% SNAP
- Somerset County, MD · 24.9% SNAP
- Hardee County, FL · 24.9% 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%). Socorro County, at 50.2%, runs 18.5 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 Socorro County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35053. 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.