New Mexico’s child poverty rate nearly cut in half when the impact of tax credits and income support programs is accounted for
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — SEPT. 18, 2026 — New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this week showed the significant impact that public policies can have on child poverty, including in New Mexico, where tax credits and income support programs reduce the number of children experiencing poverty by nearly half.
The Census Bureau released its 2025 poverty data on September 15, including updated measures using both the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) and the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). While the OPM primarily measures a household’s earned income, the SPM provides a more comprehensive picture by accounting for the effects of government programs and tax credits, including SNAP and refundable tax credits, that directly affect families’ resources.
“Poverty is not inevitable. These data show us that the policies we choose can make a measurable difference in whether children have the resources they need to thrive,” said Emily Wildau, Director of Policy at New Mexico Voices for Children. “New Mexico has made policy choices that have helped lift thousands of children out of poverty. We need to protect and build on those choices, not move backward.”
Nationally, the 2025 data show that the child poverty rate was 13.4% under both the OPM and SPM, the first time the two measures have been equal for children. Historically, the SPM has shown a lower child poverty rate than the OPM because it accounts for the impact of policies such as tax credits and SNAP.
New Mexico’s data tell a different story.
Using three-year averages, New Mexico’s child poverty rate is 21% under the OPM, among the highest rates in the nation. But when the impact of income supports and tax credits is included through the SPM, the rate falls to 11%, a nearly 50% reduction.
The difference demonstrates the effect that anti-poverty policies can have on New Mexico families.
A recent 50-state analysis found that the federal Earned Income Tax Credit lifts approximately 15,000 New Mexico children out of poverty, while SNAP lifts another 13,000 children out of poverty.
“These numbers make clear that programs like SNAP and the Earned Income Tax Credit are not just line items in a budget,” Wildau said. “They are policies that directly affect children’s lives and families’ ability to afford food, housing and other basic necessities.”
However, the newly released Census data do not yet capture the effects of recent declines in SNAP participation following changes enacted at the federal level in 2025. New Mexico has already seen nearly 13,000 fewer children enrolled in SNAP, even as families face increasing economic pressures. The effects of those changes are likely to become more visible in future measures of poverty.
New Mexico policymakers have opportunities to continue reducing child poverty by strengthening state tax policy and ensuring that eligible families can access and retain the income support programs that help them meet their basic needs.
“New Mexico has a foundation to build on,” Wildau said. “The data show that policy choices matter. As federal policies put more pressure on families, our state leaders can choose policies that protect children and give more families the opportunity to thrive.”
To read more about the Supplemental Poverty Measure and what it means for New Mexico, visit our website.
About New Mexico Voices for Children
New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan organization that works to improve the well-being of New Mexico’s children and families through research, policy analysis, advocacy and civic engagement. The organization focuses on policies that advance economic security, health, education and racial equity for all New Mexico children.
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