The Census Bureau reports that New Mexicans over age 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the population so far this decade.
University of New Mexico demographer Jack Baker said that trend is expected to continue in the coming decades and is partly why New Mexico's population growth is slowing.
Baker said the state's birth rate has been fairly constant and an aging population means there are more deaths each year, which depresses the overall population growth.
According to Census Bureau estimates released last month, those over 65 in New Mexico increased by 12 percent from 2010 to 2013, compared with a national increase of 10 percent.
New Mexico's total population increased by 1 percent from 2010 to 2013. The national population grew at twice that rate.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.