Signature · 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts)
Union County, NM
Union County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (100% of the book) alongside 26.8% low-access.
- 26.8%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 20.2%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Union County, NM
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 26.8% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +4.7 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 20.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 100% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grant County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Union County ranks #1,168 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #28 of 33 counties in NM (26.8% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,168
- national by low-access %
- #28
- in NM
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 501
- 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: 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts) .
How Union County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Union County's 26.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 63% of them and ranked #1,168 most-affected nationwide.
Union County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
All 1 of Union County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Union County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New Mexico, not a full county-board reprint
- Mora
Mora 100%
100 % low-access
- Colfax 28.5
Colfax 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Chaves 28.2
Chaves 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Taos 28.2
Taos 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
- De Baca 17.3
De Baca 17.3%
17.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,549 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,220 |
| Low-Access Share | 26.8%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 501 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,013 |
| Median Household Income | $46,694 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 290 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 20.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 11.7% |
SNAP retailers in Union County
Union County has 6 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 6 authorized stores are in Clayton, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Convenience Store · 3
- allsups 031, clayton
- love's travel stops & country stores inc 22, clayton
- too'tn totum food stores, llc 130, clayton
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 10013, clayton
- family dollar 10085, clayton
Super Store · 1
- clayton ranch market, clayton
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 Union County vs Bernalillo County → · All New Mexico counties →
New Mexico among Mountain states
New Mexico ranks 1st of 8 Mountain states by population-weighted low-access (31.7%). Union County, at 26.8%, runs 4.9 pts below 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 Union County, NM are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 35059. 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.