After decades of leading the nation in growth, Nevada may now be losing population.

A new report from the state's demographer estimates Nevada lost more than 27-thousand people in the year ending July First.

The decline reflects the recession's impact on the state and is all the more dramatic as an abrupt reversal from previous years.

"This is a new phenomenon for Nevada." says state Demographer Jeff Hardcastle of the Nevada Samll Business Development Center at UNR, "We used to joke Nevada was the one state in the nation where a three percent growth rate was a recession."

It wasn't so long ago that joke made sense. Dating back to the 1960's and 70's Nevada has been with Arizona and Colorado, one of the fastest growing states. Two and a half years ago it will still leading the nation.

"We peaked in about 2006 with construction employment," says Hardcastle, "and if you recall we got hit by the housing bubble in 2006, then got hit by the gas price surge in 2007 which deteriorated the tourism industry and then got hit by the Lehman Brothers and financial crisis nationally."

The decline was felt in most areas of the state. Only Elko, Eureka and Mineral counties showed population growth.

It's estimated Washoe County lost more than 7-thousand people over the same period. Clark County lost more than 15-thousand.

Hardcastle's estimates are based on factors such as housing units, employment and school enrollment and don't match those used by the Census Bureau.

A recent estimate by the Bureau placed the loss at less than 4-thousand.

The really important numbers will come in the 2010 Census.

Though some Americans remain wary of the Census, Hardcastle says the information is secure and participation is important as it determines federal funding levels as well as congressional and legislative reapportionment.