The State in Brief
Nickname: Show Me State
Motto: Salus populi suprema lex esto (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law)
Flower: Hawthorn Bird: Bluebird
Area: 69,704 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 21st)
Elevation: Ranges from 230 feet to 1,772 feet above sea level
Climate: Continental, with seasonal extremes; affected by cold air from Canada, warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, and dry air from the Southwest
Admitted to Union: August 10, 1821 Capital: Jefferson City
Head Official: Governor Matt Blunt (R) (until 2009)
Population
1980: 4,917,000
1990: 5,117,073
2000: 5,595,211
2004 estimate: 5,754,618
Percent change, 1990-2000: 9.3%
U.S. rank in 2004: 17th
Percent of residents born in state: 67.8% (2000)
Density: 81.2 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 261,077
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 4,748,083
Black or African American: 629,391
American Indian and Alaska Native: 25,076
Asian: 61,595
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 3,178
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 118,592 Other: 45,827
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 369,898
Population 5 to 19 years old: 1,224,274
Percent of population 65 years and over: 13.5%
Median age: 36.1 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 76,097
Total number of deaths (2003): 55,318 (infant deaths, 587)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 5,060 Economy
Major industries: Manufacturing; trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; retail trade; services Unemployment rate: 5.6% (April 2005)
Per capita income: $29,094 (2003; U.S. rank: 29)
Median household income: $43,492 (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 8.8%(3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: Graduated from 1.5% to 6.0%
Sales tax rate: 4.225%
