A SNAPSHOT OF THE SIX BORDER COUNTIES

A Quick Comparison of the Six Border Counties
County	Population	% Change#	% Hispanic	% Under 18	% Below Poverty*	% Children Below Poverty*
Doña Ana	174,682	29	63	30	27	38
Grant	31,002	12	49	26	20	27
Hidalgo	5,932	-0.4	56	32	23	29
Luna	25,016	38	58	30	30	45
Otero	62,298	20	32	30	18	26
Sierra	13,270	34	26	20	23	41

Source: United States Census Bureau website, State and County Quick Facts, 2000 Census unless otherwise noted. Figures are rounded when feasible. The counties with the highest percentages in each category are shaded gray. #Percent change is from 1990 to 2000. *According to a model-based estimate of 1997 figures.

New Mexico Population Distribution by Age Group and County 1998 Estimates
	<5	5-19	20-44	45-64	65+
Doña Ana	8.4	26.2	36.2	19.3	9.9
Grant	7	25.8	29.6	22.5	15.1
Hidalgo	7.8	27.9	30.9	21.7	11.8
Luna	7.3	25.2	25.9	24.3	17.2
Otero	8.3	24.1	35.4	20.1	12
Sierra	5.2	16.2	21.1	27.5	30

Source: 1998 NM Selected Health Statistics Annual Report. The counties with the highest percentages in each category are shaded gray.

· Doña Ana and Otero Counties have the largest populations of the six New Mexico border counties. Their combined populations represent over three-quarters of the total population in the six counties. Las Cruces is located in Doña Ana County and is the only community designated as a metropolitan statistical area with 74,267 residents.

· Hidalgo and Sierra Counties are the least populated, representing approximately 6% of the region’s population.

· Luna and Sierra Counties are the fastest growing communities with a 38% and 34% growth rate respectively over the last ten years.

· Hidalgo was the only county to experience a decrease in population over the last ten years.

· Doña Ana and Luna Counties have the highest percentage of Hispanics of the six counties at 68% and 58% respectively.

· As a percentage of the total population, Hidalgo County has the greatest percent of residents under the age of 18 at 32%.

· The most impoverished counties are Luna and Doña Ana with 30% and 27% of the population living in poverty respectively.

· Luna and Sierra Counties have the greatest number of children under the age of 18 living in poverty at 45% and 41% respectively.

· Luna and Sierra Counties have a greater proportion of people over the age of 44 than the other counties while Doña Ana and Otero Counties have a greater proportion of people under the age of 44 than the other counties.

· Between 1995 and 2000 the population was projected to grow 8.4% in District 3 compared to 4.1% for the state as a whole. (District 3 is the 8 county area in the most south and west region of New Mexico as designated by the New Mexico Department of Public Health. The 6 border counties are in District 3.)