DELAWARE

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Dover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Wilmington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

The State in Brief

Nickname: First State; Diamond State

Motto: Liberty and independence

Flower: Peach blossom

Bird: Blue hen chicken

Area: 2,489 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 49th)

Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 440 feet above sea level

Climate: Temperate, with mild winters and hot summers

Admitted to Union: December 7, 1787

Capital: Dover

Head Official: Governor Ruth Ann Minner (D) (until 2009)

Population

1980: 594,000

1990: 666,000

2000: 783,600

2003 estimate: 817,491

Percent change, 1990–2000: 17.6%

Percent change, 2000–2003: 4.3%

U.S. rank in 2003: 45th

Percent of residents born in state: 48.3% (2000)

Density: 401.1 people per square mile (in 2000, based on 2000 land area)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 31,803

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 584,773

Black or African American: 150,666

American Indian and Alaska Native: 2,731

Asian: 16,259

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 283

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 37,277

Other: 15,855

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 51,531

Population 5 to 19 years old: 166,719

Percent of population 65 years and over: 13%

Median age: 36 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 12,120

Total number of deaths (2002): 6,860 (infant deaths, 96)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 3,231

Economy

Major industries: Chemicals, agriculture, food products, paper products, printing and publishing, rubber and plastic products

Unemployment rate: 4.0% (November 2004)

Per capita income: $33,321 (2003; U.S. rank: 12th)

Median household income: $50,451 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 7.7% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: Ranges from 2.2% to 5.95%

Sales tax rate: None