A look at Florida, the 4th largest state

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.