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"Halloween: Oct. 31, 2015"

Press Release Number CB15-FF.21

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
<//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
<//www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html>


Graphic [PDF <1.0MB]

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
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311351%7C311352>
<//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
<//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
<//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
<//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 
<//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
<//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
<//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
<//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
<//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 
<//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 
<//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
<//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
<//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
<//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
//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: <//www.census.gov/constructionspending>.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Value of Construction Put in Place Survey
<//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
<//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
<//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,
<//www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

Black (African American) History Month (February)
Super Bowl
Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
Women's History Month (March)
Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
      St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
Earth Day (April 22)
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
Older Americans Month (May)
Mother's Day
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)
Labor Day
Grandparents Day
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
Unmarried and Single Americans Week
Halloween (Oct. 31)
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
Thanksgiving Day
The Holiday Season (December)

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. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.

Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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