The State in Brief
Nickname: Garden State
Motto: Liberty and Prosperity
Flower: Purple violet
Bird: Eastern goldfinch
Area: 8,721 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 47th)
Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 1,803 feet
Climate: Moderate with marked differences between the northwest and southeast extremities
Admitted to Union: December 18, 1787
Capital: Trenton
Head Official: Governor Richard Codey (D) (until 2006)
Population
1980: 7,365,000
1990: 7,730,188
2000: 8,414,350
2004 estimate: 8,698,879
Percent change, 1990-2000: 8.9%
U.S. rank in 2004: 10th
Percent of residents born in state: 53.4% (2000)
Density: 1,134.4 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 259,789
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 6,104,705
Black or African American: 1,141,821
American Indian and Alaska Native: 19,492
Asian: 480,276
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 3,329
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 1,117,191
Other: 450,972
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 563,785
Population 5 to 19 years old: 1,720,322
Percent of population 65 years and over: 13.2%
Median age: 36.7 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 117,127
Total number of deaths (2003): 73,589 (infant deaths,660)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 17,089
Economy
Major industries: Manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, services, trade, mining, fishing
Unemployment rate: 4.2% (April 2005)
Per capita income: $40,002 (2003; U.S. rank: 3rd)
Median household income: $55,221 (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 8.2%(3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: 1.4% on first $20,000; 1.75% on next $30,000; 2.45% on next $20,000, 3.5% on next $10,000, 5.525% on $70,000, 6.37% over $150,000
Sales tax rate: 6%
