What do you know about Hunger in New Mexico?
New Mexico is ranked 1st in the nation for childhood hunger and 6th for hunger in the general population.
According to Feeding America’s Spring 2018 Map the Meal Gap report.
The top 10 NM counties with the highest rates of hunger*
| COUNTY | POPULATION | FOOD INSECURITY RATE | ESTIMATE # OF FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo | 674,777 | 15 % | 101,300 |
| Catron | 3,547 | 19.7 % | 700 |
| Chaves | 65,610 | 15 % | 9,831 |
| Cibola | 27,373 | 19.6 % | 5,370 |
| Colfax | 12,716 | 15.2 % | 1,930 |
| Curry | 50,544 | 17.8 % | 9,010 |
| De Baca | 1,977 | 13.8 % | 270 |
| Dona Ana | 213,825 | 14.8 % | 31,630 |
| Eddy | 56,369 | 13.3 % | 7,470 |
| Grant | 28,879 | 14.8 % | 4,270 |
*Map the Meal Gap’s food insecurity rates are determined using data from the 2001-2016 Current Population Survey on individuals in food-insecure households; data from the 2016 American Community Survey on median household incomes, poverty rates, homeownership, and race and ethnic demographics; and 2016 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on unemployment rates
In New Mexico, 327,930 people are struggling with hunger – and of them 125,210 are children.
1 in 6 people in New Mexico
struggles with hunger.
NMSU Students
In Spring 2011, students were asked to participate in a Daily Living Needs Survey conducted by NMSU Social Work Services. Those who responded reported the following:
- 44% skipped meals at least monthly
- More than 1/3 of the students reported having to choose between paying bills or getting groceries at least once
- 1 in 5 students reported that hunger regularly affected their grades or ability to concentrate.
