New Norms Found in Study of American States

NPR

Published May 17, 2007 at 4:00 PM EDT

Billboards in Los Angeles reflect the area's diverse demographics.

How "average" or "American" is your state? The Associated Press has produced an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data that ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia according to how closely they resemble the country's demographics.

They looked at 21 demographic factors — from race, age, income and education to immigration and the percentage of residents living in urban and rural areas.

Illinois came out on top, because the state's racial, urban, and rural characteristics almost match that of the nation, as the AP's Stephen Ohlemacher tells NPR's Michele Norris.

The state least like the rest of the nation: West Virginia.

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