RENO — The Nevada State Demographer’s Office, located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus, released its preliminary 2009 population estimates for the State of Nevada and the counties, cities and unincorporated towns today.

Overall, Nevada lost an estimated 27,677 persons or 1 percent since July 2008, according to the report. That compares with a 20,396 or 0.8 percent gain from July 2007 to July 2008 and a 95,287 or 3.6 increase percent from July 2006 to July 2007.

“The important thing to keep in mind is that these are estimates and with the 2010 Census being conducted in the spring we will have a better sense of where we stand,” said Jeff Hardcastle, the state demographer in a press release. “Separate estimates released last week by the Census Bureau showed that Nevada grew by 27,313 or 1 percent. However, we estimate a larger population, 67,971 higher than the Census Bureau estimates. Again, we need a complete Census count to best gauge what is happening within Nevada.”

The estimates are an average of two independent estimates for the counties. One is based on housing units and the other on indicators of population change such as labor force and school enrollment. The two estimates are averaged together for the county total.