While Palm Coast, Fla., was the fastest-growing U.S. metropolitan area, growing by 7.2 percent from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007, Las Cruces was No. 37 on the list released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to estimated figures, the Las Cruces metro area grew by 2.5 percent, from a 2006 population of 193,976 to 198,791, according to the Census Bureau table.

Among the 363 metro areas surveyed, Albuquerque grew 2.1 percent from an estimated 2006 population of 817,794 to 835,120 in 2007, for No. 61 on the list, the Census Bureau said.

Farmington was the 233rd fastest-growing metro area, growing 0.5 percent from 121,763 in 2006 to 122,427 in 2007, according to the bureau's statistics.

Of the 50 fastest-growing areas, 27 were in the South and 20 were in the West, according to The Associated Press.

Four Texas metropolitan areas were among the biggest population gainers from 2006 to 2007, with Dallas-Fort Worth topping the list with 162,000 residents, more than any other area in the country, while Houston, Austin and San Antonio were in the Top 10 in real-population growth, the AP reported.

Atlanta had the second-largest population jump with just over 151,000 new residents, followed by Houston; Riverside, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Austin; Las Vegas, Nev.; and San Antonio, according to the AP.

The survey actually shows slower growth compared to previous years, William Frey, demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., told CNNMoney.com.

"The big story in these numbers is that they are putting the brakes on the fast growth," said Frey, who predicted that the slowing economy and housing crunch that began in early 2007 should be even more pronounced in the next census, according to CNNMoney. 

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