Biloxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Nickname: Magnolia State
Motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Flower: Magnolia
Bird: Mockingbird
Area: 48,430 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 32nd)
Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 806 feet above sea level
Climate: Temperate in north and subtropical in south, with long, hot summers and mild winters
Admitted to Union: December 10, 1817
Capital: Jackson
Head Official: Governor Haley Barbour (R) (until 2008)
Population
1980: 2,521,000
1990: 2,573,216
2000: 2,844,658
2004 estimate: 2,902,966
Percent change, 1990–2000: 10.5%
U.S. rank in 2004: 31st
Percent of residents born in state: 74.3% (2000)
Density: 60.6 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 119,442
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 1,746,099
Black or African American: 1,033,809
American Indian and Alaska Native: 11,652
Asian: 18,626
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 667
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 39,569
Other: 13,784
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 204,364
Population 5 to 19 years old: 668,850
Percent of population 65 years and over: 12.9%
Median age: 33.8 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 42,150
Total number of deaths (2003): 28,882 (infant deaths, 425)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 2,875
Economy
Major industries: Transportation equipment, food products, government, trade, agriculture, manufacturing
Unemployment rate: 6.4% (December 2004)
Per capita income: $15,853 (2003; U.S. rank: 51st)
Median household income: $31,887 (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 17.9% (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: Ranges from 3.0% to 5.0%
Sales tax rate: 7.0%