The State in Brief
Nickname: Keystone State
Motto: Virtue, liberty, and independence
Flower: Mountain laurel Bird: Ruffled grouse
Area: 46,055 (2000; U.S. rank: 33rd)
Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 3,213 feet
Climate: Cold winters, warm summers, abundant precipitation
Admitted to Union: December 12, 1787 Capital: Harrisburg
Head Official: Governor Ed Rendell (D) (until 2007)
Population
1980: 11,863,895
1990: 11,881,643
2000: 12,281,054
2004 estimate: 12,406,292
Percent change, 1990-2000: 3.4%
U.S. rank in 2004: 6th
Percent of residents born in state: 77.7% (2000)
Density: 274 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 350,466
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 10,484,203
Black or African American: 1,224,612
American Indian and Alaska Native: 18,348
Asian: 219,813
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 3,417
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 394,088
Other: 188,437
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 727,804
Population 5 to 19 years old: 2,542,780
Percent of population 65 years and over: 15.6%
Median age: 38 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 142,287
Total number of deaths (2003): 126,404 (infant deaths,981)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 15,178 Economy
Major industries: Manufacturing, services, tourism, transportation, mining, high technology, agriculture Unemployment rate: 4.9% (April 2005)
Per capita income: $31,706 (2003; U.S. rank: 18th)
Median household income: $43,869 (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 9.9%(3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: 3.07%
Sales tax rate: 6%
