Counties With the Highest Rate of Food Insecurity in New Mexico

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Counties with the highest rate of food insecurity in New Mexico

Every county in the United States is home to people experiencing food insecurity, defined by the nonprofit Feeding America as "a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life."

The USDA estimates that 89.5% of U.S. households were food secure throughout 2019—that's 116.0 million people. The COVID-19 pandemic put further strain on households already experiencing food hardship, with Feeding America estimating that 42 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, may experience food insecurity in 2021. This is a slight improvement from 2020 numbers but still represents an enormous burden for millions of children and adults.

Stacker compiled a list of counties in New Mexico with the highest rate of food insecurity using data from Feeding America. Counties are ranked by highest percent of population with food insecurity as of 2019.

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#33. Los Alamos County

- Food insecurity rate: 7.6% (1,410 total)
--- 30.3% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 9.8% (420 total)
--- 32.9% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $835,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.47

#32. Santa Fe County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.6% (15,770 total)
--- 2.8% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 17.0% (4,670 total)
--- 16.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $9,708,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.60

#31. Lea County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.9% (7,650 total)
--- 0.0% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.9% (3,580 total)
--- 15.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,175,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.19

#30. Eddy County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.0% (6,340 total)
--- 0.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.5% (2,530 total)
--- 13.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,366,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.11

#29. Sandoval County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.1% (15,900 total)
--- 1.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 17.9% (6,040 total)
--- 22.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $8,880,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.27

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#28. Lincoln County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.3% (2,390 total)
--- 12.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 19.0% (680 total)
--- 30.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,254,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#27. Valencia County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.6% (9,610 total)
--- 15.6% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.5% (3,870 total)
--- 47.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,975,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03

#26. Bernalillo County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.8% (86,440 total)
--- 17.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 19.5% (29,220 total)
--- 33.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $46,800,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.17

#25. De Baca County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.4% (270 total)
--- 22.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 17.6% (120 total)
--- 20.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $142,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#24. Guadalupe County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.5% (590 total)
--- 23.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.2% (180 total)
--- 45.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $324,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.22

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#23. Chaves County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.8% (9,020 total)
--- 26.6% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.7% (3,790 total)
--- 48.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,576,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.97

#22. Taos County

- Food insecurity rate: 14.0% (4,600 total)
--- 28.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 22.0% (1,300 total)
--- 50.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,112,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.96

#21. Rio Arriba County

- Food insecurity rate: 14.1% (5,520 total)
--- 29.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.7% (2,000 total)
--- 48.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,861,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03

#20. Union County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.1% (620 total)
--- 38.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 26.8% (220 total)
--- 83.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $311,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.93

#19. Curry County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.4% (7,660 total)
--- 41.3% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 23.4% (3,090 total)
--- 60.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,166,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18

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#18. Doña Ana County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.5% (33,560 total)
--- 42.2% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.0% (13,400 total)
--- 71.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $17,433,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.04

#17. Mora County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.6% (710 total)
--- 43.1% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 29.3% (150 total)
--- 100.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $433,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.57

#16. Colfax County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.6% (1,890 total)
--- 43.1% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.7% (580 total)
--- 76.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,139,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.53

#15. Harding County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.9% (70 total)
--- 45.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 29.3% (20 total)
--- 100.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $37,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.11

#14. Quay County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.3% (1,360 total)
--- 49.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 30.1% (570 total)
--- 106.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $706,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.04

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#13. Torrance County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.3% (2,530 total)
--- 49.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 24.5% (800 total)
--- 67.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,393,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.22

#12. Grant County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.3% (4,520 total)
--- 49.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 26.5% (1,480 total)
--- 81.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,551,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.30

#11. San Juan County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.5% (20,810 total)
--- 51.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 24.5% (8,340 total)
--- 67.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $10,321,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.90

#10. Hidalgo County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.7% (720 total)
--- 53.2% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.8% (240 total)
--- 76.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $378,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#9. Otero County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.7% (11,070 total)
--- 53.2% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.0% (3,870 total)
--- 71.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $6,070,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21

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#8. Roosevelt County

- Food insecurity rate: 17.0% (3,200 total)
--- 56.0% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 24.8% (1,140 total)
--- 69.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,678,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#7. Catron County

- Food insecurity rate: 17.4% (610 total)
--- 59.6% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 29.1% (160 total)
--- 99.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $317,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.04

#6. San Miguel County

- Food insecurity rate: 18.2% (5,060 total)
--- 67.0% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 28.5% (1,510 total)
--- 95.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,706,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.13

#5. Socorro County

- Food insecurity rate: 19.1% (3,210 total)
--- 75.2% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 28.5% (1,090 total)
--- 95.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,735,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.16

#4. Cibola County

- Food insecurity rate: 19.6% (5,270 total)
--- 79.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 29.2% (1,860 total)
--- 100.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,595,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.88

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#3. Sierra County

- Food insecurity rate: 20.6% (2,270 total)
--- 89.0% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 31.9% (560 total)
--- 118.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,145,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95

#2. Luna County

- Food insecurity rate: 21.4% (5,150 total)
--- 96.3% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 32.7% (2,080 total)
--- 124.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,559,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.91

#1. McKinley County

- Food insecurity rate: 22.6% (16,350 total)
--- 107.3% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 32.4% (6,800 total)
--- 121.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,906,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.83