Nearest to national averages in 21 demographics: study
/ Courtesy of AP GraphicsBank
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Presidential candidates might do well to see how they measure up in Illinois.
An analysis conducted by The Associated Press shows Illinois is the most average state in the country. The review was based on data from the Census Bureau. It examined 21 demographic factors, including race, age, income, education, industrial mix, immigration and the share of people living in urban and rural areas.
The AP ranked each state on how closely it matched national levels. Illinois was followed by Oregon, Michigan, Washington and Delaware.
West Virginia was the least typical state --poorer, whiter, more rural--followed by Mississippi, New Hampshire, Vermont and Kentucky. Iowa ranked 41st, meaning nine states and the District of Columbia look less like the country as a whole. South Carolina, which also has an early primary, ranked 24th.
(Copyright ©2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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