A profile of Florida, the 4th largest state, and focus of the Republican presidential race
NUMBERS
Population: 18,089,888
AGE
Median age: 39.8 percent
Percentage of population 65 and over: 16.8 percent
Percentage of population 85 and over: 2.3 percent
RACE
Race: 61.3 percent white, 20.2 percent Hispanic or Latino origin, 15.8 percent black, 2.2 percent Asian.
LANGUAGE
Language other than English spoken at home: 23.1 percent
EDUCATION
High school graduate: 72.4 percent
Bachelor’s degree: 25.3 percent
Advanced degree: 8.9 percent
MONEY
Median household income: $45,495
Families below poverty level: 9 percent
Homeownership rate: 72.4 percent
DELEGATES
Zero (0) pledged Democratic, 57 pledged Republican (unofficial totals)
ELECTORAL VOTES
27
2004 PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS
George W. Bush 52.1 percent; John Kerry, 47.1 percent
REGISTERED VOTERS
Republican, 3,825,727
Democratic, 4,137,067
Undeclared, 1,911,510
Minor Parties, 321,301
WORK FORCE
Service: 17.9 percent.
Professional and related: 17.7 percent.
Management, business and financial: 13.7 percent.
Manufacturing: 5.9 percent.
ECONOMY
Gross state product: $610 billion
_ Real estate and rental and leasing: $122.2 billion.
_ Government: $78.9 billion.
_ Health care and social assistance: $51.3 billion.
_ Retail Trade: $56.6 billion
_ Finance and insurance: $48.4 billion
_ Professional and technical services: $45.5 billion
_ Manufacturing: $35.6 billion
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Largest nongovernment employers as of January 2008:
Publix Supermarkets 115,820
Wal-Mart 90,375
Winn Dixie 52,383
McDonald’s 36,058
HCA Healthcare 35,127
Home Depot 34,514
Marriott Hotels 30,223
Hulett Environmental Services 25,407
Yum Brands (Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell) 24,762
Walt Disney 22,765
Walgreens 21,684
Target 17,356
FLORIDA QUICK FACTS
_ One of seven states with no state income tax.
_ Has the five congressional districts with the most Social Security recipients in the nation.
_ Attained statehood in 1845.
_ Acquired from Spain in 1821 as part of the Adams-Onis treaty negotiated in 1819.
_ Ponce de Leon died in Cuba in 1521 after being wounded by an arrow during a battle at Charlotte Harbor.
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Sources: Florida Department of Education; University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research; Florida Statistical Abstract; Census QuickFacts est., 2008 Almanac of American Politics; Florida Department of State; Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.
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