Washington

Population
	2000	2008
Population	5,894,121	6,549,224
State Rank	15	13
Median Age	35.3	37.2
Total 8 year-olds	87,624	82,691
Boys	44,926	42,455
Girls	42,698	40,236
Total 9 year-olds	88,868	82,518
Boys	45,560	42,192
Girls	43,308	40,326
Total 10 year-olds	89,315	83,266
Boys	46,011	42,659
Girls	43,304	40,607
Total 11 year-olds	86,511	83,047
Boys	44,443	42,433
Girls	42,068	40,614
Total 12 year-olds	86,386	83,610
Boys	44,250	42,820
Girls	42,136	40,790

How People Get to Work:
Drive Alone	73%	72%
Car Pool	13%	12%
Public Transportation	5%	6%

Geography
Capital	Olympia
Largest City	Seattle
Second Largest City	Spokane
Persons per square mile	89

Business
	2000	2007
Dentist Offices	2,976	3,285
Amusement Parks	12	13
FastFood Restaurants	4,945	7,289
Toy Stores	332	299
Video/Disc Rental Stores	522	418
Zoos & Botanical Gardens	10	16
Candy & Nut Stores	85	81
Pet & Pet Supply Stores	219	259
Ice Cream & Frozen Dessert Makers	9	11

Note: As is the case with all surveys, statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error.

A value of NA indicates that data are not available for the indicated time period, or is not applicable for the current region.

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History

Date of Statehood: November 11, 1889
Population 1900: 518,103
Population 1950: 2,378,963

I never knew that! *

Nickname: Evergreen State
Flower: Coast Rhododendron
Tree: Western Hemlock
Bird: Willow Goldfinch
Dance: Square Dance
Fruit: Apple
Fossil: Columbian Mammoth
Marine Mammal: Orca

Teachers: Download the Picture Your State lesson plan. [pdf]

Who told you this stuff?

The U.S. Census Bureau takes a census of the population every 10 years, and censuses of economic activity and governments every five years. And every year, the Census Bureau conducts more than 100 other surveys. Data on this page come from Population Estimates, the Census of Population and Housing, the American Community Survey, and County Business Patterns.

How are these data collected?

The U.S. Census Bureau sends questionnaires in the mail or contacts businesses and households to participate in its surveys.

* State symbol information was obtained from various non-Census Bureau resources including state web sites, educational web sites, and commercial entities.