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LAS CRUCES - A small smile spread across Gary Portillo's face and his eyes brightened at the realization there are more women living in Las Cruces and Do-a Ana County than there are men.

"That's good to know. Maybe that will mean I'll start having better luck with women," quipped Portillo, as the smile got wider.

But Reneé Grajeda, who has never met Portillo, wasn't as optimistic.

"More women, that makes sense. But to me that means because there's more of us, we just have to be that much more choosy in finding a man," Garcia said.

The difference in the number of men and women living in Las Cruces and Do-a Ana County is ever so slight. Women outnumber men in the city by just 1,562, and in the county there's 1,735 more.

The population figures come from the American Community Survey (ACS), which is part of the 2010 U.S. Census. The survey is an ongoing statistical survey conducted monthly by the U.S. Census Bureau, and is sent to approximately 250,000 addresses.

The survey regularly gathers information that was previously only included in the long form of the census.

Results of the survey are based on a five-year average of data provided to the Census Bureau.

"Even though the data is a year behind what was included in the (2010) census, it's still a pretty fair indication of where we stand," said James T. Peach, a New Mexico State

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University regents professor, whose primary research interests includes population economics.

Las Cruces has 43,610 men, or 49.1 percent of its residents, and 45,172 women, 50.4 percent. Those figures closely mirror the county's numbers and proportions, with 98,042 men (49.6 percent) and 99,777 women (50.4 percent).

The data is based on 2009 estimated city and county populations of 88,782 and 197,819, respectively. Official city and county populations released Tuesday in the 2010 Census showed the city now has a population of 97,618 and the county is now at 209,233.

Naturally, most of the men and women living in the city and county are 18-years old and older, and that factors into explaining why the percentages between men and women are so close.

Peach said NMSU's student enrollment also reflects the city's and county's proximity between men and women. He said there are more women enrolled at NMSU than men.

"There's a variety of factors that can also be considered," Peach said. "Not only can the differences in age and gender in our community be reflected by NMSU, but it can also be reflected by the employment structure in our community."

Peach added the old saying still holds true: Women live longer than men, and that could explain, at least partially, why there's more women living in Las Cruces than men.

While New Mexico's median age, of 35.8 years old, has crept within a year of the U.S. average, of 36.8, Las Cruces' median age is now 30.8 years and the county's is at 31.

"Those numbers would be higher without the presence of New Mexico State University," said Peach. "That's factored in median age. Because of NMSU, we simply have a lot more young people."

The largest age group currently in Las Cruces and Do-a Ana County are residents between the ages of 25 to 34. In the city, almost 17 percent of the population falls into that group and it is notably more than the next-highest-group of 11.7 percent of residents who are between 35- to 44-years old.

In the county, 15.1 percent of the population is between 25 to 34, but the next largest category are people who range in ages from 45 to 54. That age group accounts for 12.1 percent of all county residents.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452.

Sex and age

Total population figures for gender in Las Cruces and Do-a Ana County:

Men (%) Women (%)

•City 43,610 (49.1) 45,172 (50.9)

•County 98,042 (49.6) 99,777 (50.4)

Total population aged 18 and older in Las Cruces and Do-a Ana County:

•City 66,732 (75.2%)

•County 142,897 (72.2%)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau's 2009

American Community Survey