MISSISSIPPI
 
                                                  State   Rank      U.S.
                   POPULATION
 
Resident population (1,000)
  1990                                            2,575     31   248,791
  1999                                            2,769     31   272,691
 
Percent living inside metropolitan areas
  1990                                             34.0     46      79.7
  1996                                             35.3     46      79.9
 
Percent under 18 years old
  1990                                             29.1      7      25.7
  1998                                             27.5      6      25.8
 
Percent 65 years old and over
  1990                                             12.4     29      12.5
  1998                                             12.2     34      12.7
 
 
          VITAL STATISTICS AND HEALTH
 
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births
  1990                                             12.1      2       9.2
  1996                                             11.0      1       7.3
 
Births to teenage mothers, percent of total
  1990                                             21.3      1      12.8
  1997                                             20.7      1      12.8
 
Motor-vehicle deaths per 100 mil. vehicle miles
  1990                                              3.5      2       2.2
  1997                                              2.9      1       1.7
 
Doctors per 100,000 resident population
  1990                                              135     49       216
  1997                                              156     49       245
 
 
                   EDUCATION
 
Public elementary-secondary schools:
  Enrollment rate \1
    1990                                           91.3     28      91.3
    1996                                           91.4     31      91.7
  Teachers' average salaries \2
    1990                                        $24,366     47   $33,123
    1998                                        $29,547     48   $39,385
 
Full-time college enrollment, percent of total
  1990                                             75.9      2      56.6
  1996                                             74.0      3      57.4
 
                LAW ENFORCEMENT
 
Violent crime rate per 100,000 population
  1990                                              340     35       732
  1997                                              469     25       611
 
Federal & state prisoners per 100,000 population
  1990                                              325     14       311
  1997                                              565      7       465
 
 
               STATE GOVERNMENTS
 
General revenue per capita
  1990                                           $1,756     42    $2,080
  1997                                           $2,890     28    $3,048
 
 
                  LABOR FORCE
 
Percent of civilian population employed
  1990                                             57.7     47      62.8
  1997                                             58.4     48      63.8
 
Nonfarm employment--percent in manufacturing
  1990                                             26.3      2      17.4
  1998                                             21.6      5      14.9
 
Average annual pay
  1990                                          $17,718     48   $23,602
  1997                                          $22,772     47   $30,336
 
 
               INCOME AND POVERTY
 
Personal income per capita (constant 1992 dol.)
  1990                                          $13,676     50   $20,618
  1998                                          $16,822     50   $23,436
 
Median household income (constant 1998 dol.)
  1990                                          $25,165     50   $37,343
  1998                                          $29,120     48   $38,885
 
Percent of population below the poverty level
  1990                                             25.7      1      13.5
  1998                                             17.6      4      12.7
 
                  CONSUMPTION
 
Energy consumption per capita (million BTUs)
  1990                                              364     16       326
  1996                                              402     15       349
 
Homeownership rates (percent)
  1990                                             69.4     11      63.9
  1998                                             75.1      3      66.3
 
Retail sales per household
  1990                                          $15,145     49   $19,655
  1997                                          $19,888     50   $25,437
 
 
\1 Percent of persons 5 to 17 years old.
\2 For school year ending in June the following year.
 
State profile from U.S. Census Bureau,
Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1999.