WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has long been associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Today, Halloween has evolved into a celebration characterized by child-friendly activities, such as costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns.
Trick or Treat!
41.2 million
The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2014 — children age 5 to 14 — across the U.S. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates, PEPASR6H
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPASR6H?slice=year~est72014
117.3 million
Number of occupied housing units across the nation in second quarter 2015 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8
http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html
78.7%
Percentage of U.S. households that agreed that their neighbors could be trusted in 2013.
Source: 2013 American Housing Survey
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-61.html
Hauntingly Delicious
1,337
Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2012, employing 37,400 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $14.9 billion, up from $14.1 billion in 2007.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 2012: 311351, 311352 and 2007: 311320, 311330
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311351%7C311352 http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2007_US/00A1//naics~311320%7C311330
441
Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced nonchocolate confectionary products, employing 19,267 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $7.7 billion in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 311340
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311340
3,215
Number of U.S. confectionary and nut stores that sell candy and other confectionary products, employing 19,821 employees. This industry's sales totaled $1.8 billion in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 445292
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/44A1//naics~445292
Dressed to Thrill
A sampling of occupations that one may dress up as for a Halloween costume:
| Occupation |
Number of Full-Time, |
| Year-Round Employees |
|
| Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers |
123,608 |
| Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers |
396,206 |
| Dentists |
103,211 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
122,800 |
| Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers |
476,355 |
| Firefighters |
278,058 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
679,836 |
| Registered nurses |
2,183,447 |
The estimates of athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers and detectives and criminal investigators are not statistically different from one another.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey, B24124
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B24124
Where to Spend Halloween?
Some places around the country that may put you in the Halloween mood:
Tombstone, Ariz. (estimated population 1,322)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US0474400
Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. (estimated population 10,208)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US3667638
Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (estimated population 6,931)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US3735720
Yellville, Ark. (estimated population 1,181)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US0577330
Transylvania County, N.C. (estimated population 33,045)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/0500000US37175
Slaughter Beach, Del. (estimated population 225)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US1067050
Casper, Wyo. (estimated population 60,086)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US5613150
Scarville, Iowa (estimated population 71)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US1971040
Truth or Consequences, N.M. (estimated population 6,103)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPANNRES/1620000US3579840
Spooktacular
4,471
The number of motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) in the U.S. in 2013 where one could possibly enjoy a horror movie. California (495), Texas (310), New York (273) and Florida (203) had the most of such establishments. There were 219 drive-in motion picture theaters in 2013 — Ohio had 21 and Pennsylvania had 20 drive-in motion picture theaters.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 County Business Patterns, NAICS 512131 & 512132
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~512131|512132
50,900
Acres of pumpkins harvested in the U.S. in 2013, with a total estimated production value of $149.9 million. Of the top six pumpkin-producing states, Illinois led the country by producing an estimated 547.6 million pounds of this vined gourd, followed by California, Ohio, Michigan, New York and then Pennsylvania. Pumpkins are frequently carved as decorations around Halloween.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Page 9 and 38
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-29-2015.pdf
$820 million
The estimated construction spending on theme/amusement parks in 2014. Halloween events at theme/amusement parks can be frighteningly fun. For more information about construction spending, please visit: http://www.census.gov/constructionspending.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Value of Construction Put in Place Survey
http://www.census.gov/construction/c30/xls/private.xls
1,148
The number of costume rental and formal wear establishments; they had a total of 6,574 paid employees across the nation in 2013 (for the pay period including March 12, 2013).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 County Business Patterns, NAICS 532220
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~532220
302
The number of broomstick and casket manufacturing establishments (for the more authentic witches and vampires); combined, these two industries employed 12,627 people and had a total value of shipments of $3.6 billion in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 339994 and NAICS 339995
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/31SG1//naics~339994|339995
$1.1 billion
Dollar value of U.S. fresh apples exported in 2014. Whether bobbing for or dipping in caramel, apples can be a fun treat around Halloween.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade Statistics, Commodity Code 080810
https://usatrade.census.gov/
Who You Gonna Call?
89%
Percent of households that had a cellular phone in 2011, compared with only 36 percent in 1998. The percentage of households with a cellular phone only (no landline) rose from less than 1 percent in 1998 to 28 percent in 2011.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States, 2011, http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features series:
| African-American History Month (February) |
Labor Day |
| Super Bowl |
Grandparents Day |
| Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) |
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) |
| Women's History Month (March) |
Unmarried and Single Americans Week |
| Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ |
Halloween (Oct. 31) |
| St. Patrick's Day (March 17) |
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month |
| Earth Day (April 22) |
(November) |
| Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) |
Veterans Day (Nov. 11) |
| Older Americans Month (May) |
Thanksgiving Day |
| Mother's Day |
The Holiday Season (December) |
| Hurricane Season Begins (June 1) |
|
| Father's Day |
|
| The Fourth of July (July 4) |
|
| Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) |
|
| Back to School (August) |
Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines.
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