The State in Brief
Nickname: Green Mountain State
Motto: Vermont, freedom, and unity
Flower: Red clover Bird: Hermit thrush
Area: 9,614 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 45th)
Elevation: Ranges from 95 feet to 4,393 feet
Climate: Long, cold winters; warm summers
Admitted to Union: March 4, 1791
Capital: Montpelier
Head Official: Governor James H. Douglas (R) (until 2007)
Population
1980: 511,456
1990: 562,758
2000: 608,827
2004 estimate: 621,394
Percent change, 1990-2000: 8.2%
U.S. rank in 2004: 49th
Percent of residents born in state: 54.3% (2000)
Density: 65.8 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 15,600
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000) White: 589,208
Black or African American: 3,063
American Indian and Alaska Native: 2,420
Asian: 5,217
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 141
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 5,504
Other: 1,443
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 33,989
Population 5 to 19 years old: 132,268
Percent of population 65 years and over: 12.4%
Median age: 37.7 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 6,546
Total number of deaths (2003): 5,068 (infant deaths,32)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 250 Economy
Major industries: Services, manufacturing, tourism
Unemployment rate: 3.3% (April 2005)
Per capita income: $30,534 (2003; U.S. rank: 23rd)
Median household income: $43,212 (3-year average,2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 9.4% (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: 3.6-9.5%
Sales tax rate: 6.0%
