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  3. Wyoming

WYOMING

Casper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585

Cheyenne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Wyoming

The State in Brief

Nickname: Equality State, Cowboy State

Motto: Equal rights

Flower: Indian paintbrush

Bird: Meadowlark

Area: 97,813 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 10th)

Elevation: Ranges from 3,100 feet to 13,084 feet above sea level

Climate: Continental; semi arid and cool, with mild summers and severe winters; temperature varies with elevation

Admitted to Union: July 10, 1890

Capital: Cheyenne

Head Official: Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 470,000

1990: 453,588

2000: 493,782

2004 estimate: 506,529

Percent change, 1990–2000: 8.9%

U.S. rank in 2004: 51st

Percent of residents born in state: 42.5% (2000)

Density: 5.1 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 17,858

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 454,670

Black or African American: 3,722

American Indian and Alaska Native: 11,133

Asian: 2,771

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 302

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 31,669

Other: 12,301

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 30,940

Population 5 to 19 years old: 114,406

Percent of population 65 years and over: 11.7%

Median age: 36.2 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 6,615

Total number of deaths (2003): 4,173 (infant deaths, 46)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 96

Economy

Major industries: Mining; finance, insurance, and real estate; government; construction

Unemployment rate: 2.9% (February 2005)

Per capita income: $32,235 (2003; U.S. rank: 16th)

Median household income: $41,501 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 11.4% (1999)

Income tax rate: None

Sales tax rate: 4.0%