LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, both the city of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County have seen an increase in population. With the recent estimates as of July 1, 2008, the population of Dona Ana is now more than 200,000 and that's an increase of more than 15 percent from 2000 to 2008. And for Las Cruces the population is now more than 91,000 at an increase of more than 23 percent since 2000. Even though these numbers may seem overwhelming, some say it is nothing out of the ordinary.

“It's a steady growth I've been here 40 years and you go back 15 , 20 years that steady growth of 3 to 4 percent has been like that every year,” said Bill Mattiace, VP of Governmental Affairs for Chamber of Commerce.

In fact, Mattiace said even more growth would be better.

“Steady is good, slow is bad, but robust growth is really very good for the city and employees,” said Mattiace.

But then there are also those don’t really like the increase in population.

“I don't like it. I liked it when it was a sleepy little place of about 10,000,” said Lewis Holland.