Romance by the
Numbers: Census Bureau
releases facts
about Valentine's Day
WASHINGTON,
Feb. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. Census Bureau released the
following Facts for Features today on Valentine's Day:
Valentine's Day:
Feb. 14
One legend has
it that Valentine's Day originated to commemorate the anniversary of
the death of St. Valentine, a Roman clergyman who was executed on
Feb. 14, about 270 A.D., for secretly marrying couples in defiance
of the emperor. According to another, the holiday began as a Roman
fertility festival. Americans probably began exchanging handmade
valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther Howland, a
native of Massachusetts, began to sell the nation's first
mass-produced valentine cards.
Romantic-Sounding Places
Below are names
of some romantic-sounding places:
Valentine, Neb.;
Lovelady, Texas; Valentine, Texas; Loving County, Texas; Loveland,
Colo.; Lovington, N.M.; Lovejoy, Ga.; Loving, N.M.; Loves Park,
Ill.; Love County, Okla.; Lovelock, Nev.; Lovington, Ill.; Love
Valley, N.C.; Romeo, Colo.; Loveland, Ohio; Romeo, Mich.; Loveland
Park, Ohio; Romeoville, Ill.; Loveland, Okla.
Be Mine
2.2 million --
Number of marriages that take place in the United States annually.
That breaks down to about 6,000 a day.
138,600 -- The
number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2003. So many couples
"tie the knot" in the Silver State that it ranked fourth nationally
in marriages, even though its total population that year was 35th.
25.3 and 27.1
-- The estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and
men, respectively, in 2003. The age for women is up 4.3 years in the
last three decades. The age for men is up 3.9 years.
The proportion
of women 20 to 24 years old who had never married more than doubled
between 1970 and 2003 -- from 36 percent to 75 percent. Changes were
also dramatic for men -- the corresponding rate for men in this age
group increased from 55 percent to 86 percent.
54 percent and
57 percent -- The percentages of American women and men,
respectively, who are 15 and over and currently married.
4.6 milllion --
Number of cohabitating couples who maintained households in 2003.
These couples comprised 4.2 percent of all households, up from 2.9
percent in 1996.
Looking for Love
118 -- Number of
single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) who are in
their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages.
33 -- Number of
single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) age 65 and
over for every 100 single women of the same ages.
Candy is Dandy
1,006 -- Number
of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2002. These
establishments employed 42,538 people. California led the nation in
the number of such establishments (with 114) followed by
Pennsylvania (with 100).
619 -- Number of
locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2002.
These establishments employed 24,284 people.
3,782 -- Number
of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2002. Often
referred to as candy stores, they are among the best sources of
sweets for Valentine's Day.
24.6 pounds --
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2003; it is believed
a large portion is consumed around Valentine's Day. Candy
consumption has actually declined over the last few years; in 1997,
each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds of candy a
year.
Flowers
$425 million --
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in
2003 for all operations in 36 states with $100,000 or more in sales.
Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting
for nearly three-quarters of this amount ($306 million).
$52 million --
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in
2003 for all operations in 36 states with $100,000 or more in sales.
Among all types of cut flowers, roses were second in receipts to
lilies ($70 million).
23,094 -- The
number of florists nationwide in 2002. These businesses employed
119,117 people.
Jewelry
28,914 --
Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2002. Jewelry
stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all
ages. In February 2004, these stores sold $2.4 billion worth of
merchandise -- a much higher total than in the preceding month or
succeeding months.
The merchandise
at these locations could well have been produced at one of the
nation's 1,892 jewelry manufacturing establishments. The manufacture
of jewelry was an $8.3 billion industry in 2002.
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reau
releases facts