Washington

Population
	2000	2009
Population	5,894,121	6,664,195
State Rank	15	13
Median Age	35.3
Total 8 year-olds	87,624	86,508
Boys	44,926	44,102
Girls	42,698	42,406
Total 9 year-olds	88,868	84,655
Boys	45,560	43,423
Girls	43,308	41,232
Total 10 year-olds	89,315	83,851
Boys	46,011	42,861
Girls	43,304	40,990
Total 11 year-olds	86,511	84,209
Boys	44,443	43,162
Girls	42,068	41,047
Total 12 year-olds	86,386	83,771
Boys	44,250	42,778
Girls	42,136	40,993

How People Get to Work:
Drive Alone	73%	72%
Car Pool	13%	11%
Public Transportation	5%	6%

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

Business
	2000	2008
Dentist Offices	2,976	3,315
Amusement Parks	12	9
FastFood Restaurants	4,945	7,343
Toy Stores	332	275
Video/Disc Rental Stores	522	394
Zoos & Botanical Gardens	10	17
Candy & Nut Stores	85	76
Pet & Pet Supply Stores	219	264
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.