OREGON

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Eugene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Portland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471

Salem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483

The State in Brief

Nickname: Beaver State

Motto: Alis Volat Propriis (She flies with her own wings)

Flower: Oregon grape

Bird: Western meadowlark

Area: 98,380 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 9th)

Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 11,239 feet above sea level

Climate: Mild and humid with frequent rainfall in western third; dry with extremes of temperature in the interior two-thirds

Admitted to Union: February 14, 1859

Capital: Salem

Head Official: Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 2,633,105

1990: 2,842,321

2000: 3,421,399

2004 estimate: 3,594,586

Percent change, 1990–2000: 20.4%

U.S. rank in 2004: 27th

Percent of residents born in state: 45.3% (2000)

Density: 35.6 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 171,443

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 2,961,623

Black or African American: 55,662

American Indian and Alaska Native: 45,211

Asian: 101,350

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 7,976

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 275,314

Other: 144,832

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 223,005

Population 5 to 19 years old: 720,999

Percent of population 65 years and over: 12.8%

Median age: 36.3 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 45,911

Total number of deaths (2003): 30,973 (infant deaths, 270)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 2,586

Economy

Major industries: Manufacturing; finance, insurance, and real estate; trade

Unemployment rate: 6.6% (February 2005)

Per capita income: $28,806 (2003; U.S. rank: 32nd)

Median household income: $42,429 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 11.6% (1999)

Income tax rate: Ranges from 5.0% to 9.0%

Sales tax rate: None