Categorized | Education

Halloween by the numbers, October 31, 2011

MEDIA RELEASE

The observance of Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has long been associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Over the years, Halloween customs and rituals have changed dramatically. Today, Halloween is celebrated many different ways, including wearing costumes, children trick or treating, carving pumpkins, and going to haunted houses and parties.

Trick or Treat!

41 million
The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2010 — children age 5 to 14 — across the United States. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

116.7 million
Number of occupied housing units across the nation in 2010 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

92%
Percentage of households with residents who consider their neighborhood safe. In addition,
78 percent said there was no place within a mile of their homes where they would be afraid
to walk alone at night.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States, 2005, Table 4, http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/extended-05.html
Jack-o’-Lanterns and Pumpkin Pies

1.1 billion pounds
Pumpkin production by major pumpkin-producing states in 2010. Illinois produced an estimated 427 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. California, New York and Ohio were also major pumpkin-producing states, each with an estimate of more than 100 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

Click to access VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf

Where to Spend Halloween?

Some places around the country that may put you in the Halloween mood are:
Transylvania County, N.C. (population 33,090)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census,
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.

Tombstone, Ariz. (population 1,380)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census,
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.html.
Pumpkin Center, N.C. (population 2,222); and Pumpkin Bend, Ark. (population 276)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Cape Fear in New Hanover County, N.C. (population 18,388); and Cape Fear in Chatham
County, N.C. (population 1,323).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
Skull Creek, Neb. (population 271)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

Candy and Costumes

1,177
Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2009, employing 34,252 people. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments, with 135, followed by Pennsylvania, with 111.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2009, NAICS codes (31132 & 31133), http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/

409
Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured nonchocolate confectionary products in 2009. These establishments employed 16,974 people. California led the nation in this category, with
45 establishments.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2009, NAICS code (31134), http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/

24.7 pounds
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2010.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Industrial Reports, Confectionery: 2010, Table 1,
http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/cir/historical_data/ma311d/index.html

1,719
Number of costume rental and formal wear establishments across the nation in 2009.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 County Business Patterns, NAICS code (53222),
http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/

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