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2010 Census Results: U.S. population change
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LAS CRUCES - Our population in Doña Ana County officially crept over the 200,000 mark in the past decade and remains the second most populous county in the state, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released for the first time Tuesday.
We added 34,551
The county ranks behind Bernalillo's population of 662,564 and in front of Sandoval's 131,561.
About 46.7 percent of Doña Ana County's population is in the Las Cruces city limits, while the remainder is in the unincorporated areas, as well as four smaller municipalities, according to the numbers.
County Commissioner Scott Krahling said he believes much of the growth is due to outsiders who are attracted to the area.
"You can live near the ocean and have to live with hurricanes or live in the Midwest and have to live with tornados," he said. "Or you can live in Doña Ana County and have to live with dust storms."
More Hispanics, whites
The percentage of Doña Ana County's population that declared itself Hispanic or Latino crept up from 63.4 percent in 2000 to 65.7 percent 10 years later.
Meanwhile, in the category of race, the white population grew from 67.8 percent to 74.1 percent and represented the largest racial group in the county.
A Census official said the question about Hispanic heritage is separate from the category of race, meaning a person can indicate being both Hispanic and white.
Services needed
Federal officials, in promoting participation in the Census, pointed out that the results are important in calculating funding formulas.
And while a growth in population may mean more federal dollars are coming to the area, it also means there's an increased demand for services. That demand is more pronounced because the county has a high rate of poverty.
In all, 37 federally recognized colonias - low-income areas lacking infrastructure - exist in Doña Ana County.
Take for instance, the local animal shelter, called the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley. It gathers in stray pets from the city of Las Cruces - which saw a 31 percent growth rate over the decade - as well as from across the county.
This region is currently generating a disproportionate number of stray animals for the size of its human population, said Shelter Director Beth Vesco-Mock. Shelters in Albuquerque and El Paso last year took in about 24,000 and 26,000 pets, respectively, despite being larger communities, she said.
"It's a huge impact on the shelter," she said. "More people means more services are required, because more households means more animals. But with that comes needed funding, and that, unfortunately, doesn't appear to be possible."
Those services include low-cost spays and neuters and providing space for housing pets at the facility, Vesco-Mock noted. Plus, she said, the community is expecting improvements, such as a reduction in the euthanasia rate.
Ideally, Krahling said, there's a balance between the service offered by the county and the demand for services that accompanies population growth. He said he feels the county is doing a good job of keeping pace in newer subdivisions, but it has lagged behind in the colonias, because they developed during a time when the county's standards were too lax.
"With new communities, we have the standards in place that ensure that we're not entering into a losing battle," he said.
Krahling noted that the southern part of Doña Ana is poised for growth in the coming decade because of a plan by Union Pacific Railroad to relocate a rail yard to Santa Teresa. That economic development will bring more tax revenue to help address needs in poor areas, he said.
"Growth brings new businesses and new opportunities for residents," he said. " I don't want to see Las Cruces become a huge metropolitan city, but growth in the county is, all in all, a good thing."
Political implications
Officials have been awaiting the new Census data because it will be used in local, state and federal redistricting processes, in which voting districts will be redefined.
In Doña Ana County, for instance, an advisory panel has been formed to make recommendations about how to redraw the boundaries of the five county commission seats.
The state Legislature will undertake a redistricting process, too, though the specifics have yet to be laid out, said state Rep. Andy Nuñez, I-Hatch. That will happen before the end of the legislative session on Saturday.
After hearing about Do-a Ana County's new Census data, Nuñez said he's hopeful the population growth will result in southern New Mexico having a greater voice. The county may even get additional legislative seats, he said.
"We need to get more clout politically," he said. " We've been controlled by Albuquerque and the north too damn long. Some way or another we need to get that solved."
Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.
