Signature · 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts)
Taos County, NM
Taos County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of the book) alongside 28.2% low-access.
- 28.2%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 17.3%
- on SNAP
- 35K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Taos County, NM
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 28.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +6.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 17.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 67% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Chaves County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Taos County ranks #1,070 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #27 of 33 counties in NM (28.2% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,070
- national by low-access %
- #27
- in NM
- 4
- 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: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts) .
How Taos County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Taos County's 28.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 66% of them and ranked #1,073 most-affected nationwide.
Taos County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Taos County has 1 urban and 5 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.
Taos County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- Sierra 29.2
Sierra 29.2%
29.2 % low-access
- Colfax 28.5
Colfax 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Guadalupe 28.5
Guadalupe 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Taos 28.2
Taos 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Chaves 28.2
Chaves 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 32,937 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 9,292 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,546 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 34,543 |
| Median Household Income | $58,950 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,689 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Taos County
Taos County has 34 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 12 locations (35% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 12
- allsups 317, taos
- allsups 319, taos
- garcia's general store llc, penasco
- hail creek travel center llc, taos
- maverik, inc 699, taos
- pachecos grocery, penasco
- poco loco market, carson
- speedway 9120, el prado
- speedway 9136, el prado
- speedway 9137, taos
- speedway 9138, taos
- speedway 9745, rancho de taos
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 14139, sur taos
- dollar general 21400, questa
- dollar tree 6132, taos
- family dollar 8235, pensaco
- family dollar store 2931, taos
- family dollar store 7652, questa
- ortega's jerky & meat market, taos
- walgreens 12751, taos
Farmers' Market · 4
- questa farmers market, program of localogy, questa
- red willow center farmers market, taos pueblo
- taos farmers market, taos
- taos farmers market, taos
Supermarket · 4
- albertsons 920, taos
- cids food market, taos
- der markt food store, red river
- lowe's 52, taos
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- rosita's mexican store & bakery, taos
- sangre de cristo valley market na, questa
- taos food coop, taos
Super Store · 2
- smiths # 426 426, taos
- walmart 873, taos
Small Grocery Store · 1
- midtown market & spirits, arroyo hondo
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 Taos County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
Nationwide peers for Taos County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Taos 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 (28.2% here).
- Catawba County, NC · 28.2% low-access
- Catawba County, NC · 28.2% low-access
- Dodge County, NE · 28.2% low-access
- Dodge County, NE · 28.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NM (17.3% here).
- Ripley County, MO · 17.3% SNAP
- Ripley County, MO · 17.3% SNAP
- Boyd County, KY · 17.3% SNAP
- Boyd County, KY · 17.3% 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
Taos 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 Taos County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35055. 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.