Valentines Day Facts

Valentine’s Day 2013: Feb. 14

1. Origins-  Possibly the most popular theory is that St Valentine was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome. In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day.

2. Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is given credit for selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit continues today with even young children exchanging valentine’s cards with their fellow classmates.

3. 1,155-Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2010, employing 35,074 people. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments, with 121, followed by Pennsylvania, with 114.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2010, NAICS code (31132) and (31133),
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

4. 409

Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured nonchocolate confectionary products in 2010. These establishments employed 17,526 people. California led the nation in this category, with 49 establishments.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2010, NAICS code (31134)
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

5. $13.5 billion

Total value of shipments in 2011 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 Annual Survey of Manufactures, Products and Service Codes 311320 and 311330,
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ASM_2011_31VS101&prodType=table>

6. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was an $8.8 billion industry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 Annual Survey of Manufactures, Products and Service Code 311340,
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ASM_2011_31VS101&prodType=table>

7. 3,365

Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2010.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (445292),
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

8. 24.7 pounds

Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2010.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Industrial Reports, Confectionery: 2010
<http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/cir/historical_data/ma311d/index.html>

 

9.  16,182The total number of florists’ establishments nationwide in 2010. These businesses employed 70,575 people.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (4531)
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

10. $880,893,904

The value of imports for cut flowers and buds for bouquets in 2011. Flower bouquets are a popular gift for loved ones on Valentine’s Day. The total value of fresh cut roses in 2011 was $365,453,189.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Foreign Trade Division USA Trade Online U.S. Import and Export Merchandise trade (Commodity code-060319)
<https://www.usatradeonline.gov/>

 

11. 23,739

Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2010. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to couples of all ages. In February 2012, these stores sold $2.66 billion in merchandise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (448310),
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/> and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services <http://www.census.gov/retail>

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation’s 1,453 jewelry manufacturing establishments.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (339911),
<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

 

12. 28.6 and 26.6 years

Median age at first marriage in 2012 for men and women, respectively.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2012,
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/marital.html>, Table MS-2

53%

The overall percentage of adults who reported being married.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2012,
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html> Table A1

68.8%

Percentage of people 15 and older in 2012 who had been married at some point in their lives — either currently or formerly.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2012,
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html> Table A1

 

 

13. 8

Median length, in years, of first marriages that ended in divorce.
Source: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, Table 8

3.8 and 3.7

The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage for men and women, respectively. However, the two medians are not significantly different from each other.
Source: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, Table 8

9% and 7.9%

Among people 15 and older in 2009, the percentage of men and women, respectively, who had married twice and were still married.
Source: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>

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