Population: Metro Areas

Two-thirds of New Mexicans live in urban areas, according to the latest metropolitan statistical area population figures from the Bureau of the Census. The figures are as of July 1, 2007. The state has four cities designated a metro areas: Albuquerque, Farmington, Las Cruces and Santa Fe. For three, the metro area means a single county. The Albuquerque metro is four counties: Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia. Though the Albuquerque metro population concentrates along the Rio Grande, the metro is more 150 miles along its northwest to southeast diagonal.

Albuquerque plus Santa Fe—the north central urban area—have a population of 978,075, just shy of half the state's population of 1,969,915. The metro Albuquerque population is 835,120. Santa Fe has 122,427. Since Las Cruces' population was 198,791 as of mid-2007, Las Cruces probably has already passed the 200,000 mark. Farmington has 122,427.

By percentage growth, Albuquerque ranked 62nd among the nation's 363 metro areas for the period from 2000 to 2007. Las Cruces was 66th. Las Cruces percentage growth rank was 37th for the 2006-2007 year. Albuquerque is the nation's 60th largest metro area while Las Cruces is 205; Santa Fe, 270; and Farmington, 300.

Albuquerque's population increased 14.5% (105,467) for the seven year period followed by Las Cruces with a 13.8% (24,109) increase. The two switched places for the 2006-2007 period with Las Cruces up 2.5% and Albuquerque growing 2.1%.

Albuquerque got just over half its seven year growth from people moving to the metro from elsewhere in the United States—"net internal migration" in the Census jargon. Las Cruces got 61% of its seven year growth from babies, specifically having a lot more babies appear than people who died. Las Cruces' growth increase for the 06-07 year appears to have happened because the number of people moving to Las Cruces was 20% more than the natural increase, which is the difference between births and deaths. Farmington's population growth dropped to 0.5% between 2006 and 2007 as an estimated 739 people moved from San Juan County.

Roswell, the largest of New Mexico's micropolitan areas or small cities, posted an estimated population 62,595 as of July 1, 2007. That's up 988, or 1.6%, in a year. Roswell is the 155th largest of the nation's 576 micropolitan areas.