Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
Dallas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
El Paso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Fort Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Houston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579
San Antonio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Nickname: Lone Star State
Motto: Friendship
Flower: Bluebonnet
Bird: Mockingbird
Area: 268,580 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 2nd)
Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 8,749 feet above sea level
Climate: Semi-arid in western region and central plains; subtropical on coastal plains; continental in the panhandle
Admitted to Union: December 29, 1845
Capital: Austin
Head Official: Governor Rick Perry (R) (until 2007)
Population
1980: 14,229,000
1990: 16,986,510
2000: 20,851,820
2004 estimate: 22,490,022
Percent change, 1990–2000: 22.8%
U.S. rank in 2004: 2nd
Percent of residents born in state: 62.2% (2000)
Density: 79.6 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 1,130,292
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 14,799,505
Black or African American: 2,404,566
American Indian and Alaska Native: 118,362
Asian: 562,319
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 14,434
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 6,669,666
Other: 2,438,001
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 1,624,628
Population 5 to 19 years old: 4,921,608
Percent of population 65 years and over: 9.9%
Median age: 32.3 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 377,414
Total number of deaths (2003): 153,944 (infant deaths, 2,400)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 30,043
Economy
Major industries: Machinery, agriculture, chemicals, food processing, oil, transportation equipment
Unemployment rate: 5.8% (December 2004)
Per capita income: $29,076 (2003; U.S. rank: 30th)
Median household income: $40,934 (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 15.8% (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: None
Sales tax rate: 6.25% (food and prescription drugs are exempt)