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Facts for Features: Halloween Oct. 31, 2014

Press Release Number CB14-FF.23

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 2013 — 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, 2013 Population Estimates, PEPASR6H
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPASR6H>

115 million

Number of occupied housing units across the nation in first quarter 2014 — 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>

93.3%

Percentage of households with residents who considered their neighborhood safe in 2011. In addition, 79.5 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, 2011, <//www.census.gov/library/publications/2013/demo/p70-136.html>

Hauntingly Delicious

1,333

Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products, in 2012, employing 37,150 employees. This industry’s value of shipments totaled $14.4 billion, up slightly from $14.1 billion in 2007.
Source: 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>

439

Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced nonchocolate confectionary products employing 19,141 employees. This industry’s value of shipments totaled $8.0 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>

Dressed to Thrill

A sampling of occupations that one may dress up as for a Halloween costume:

PDF Version [PDF - <1.0 MB]

Occupation

Number of Full-Time,
Year-Round Employees

Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers

102,274

Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers

389,786

Dentists

101,614

Detectives and criminal investigators

119,075

Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers

499,022

Firefighters

262,997

Police and sheriff’s patrol officers

641,208

Registered nurses

2,058,961

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, B24124
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B24124>

Where to Spend Halloween?

Some places around the country that may put you in the Halloween mood:

Tombstone, Ariz. (estimated population 1,338)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US0474400>

Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. (estimated population 10,017)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US3667638>

Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (estimated population 6,920)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US3735720>

Yellville, Ark. (estimated population 1,185)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US0577330>

Transylvania County, N.C. (estimated population 32,903)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/0500000US37175>

Slaughter Beach, Del. (estimated population 218)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US1067050>

Casper, Wyo. (estimated population 59,628)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US5613150>

Scarville, Iowa (estimated population 71)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US1971040>

Truth or Consequences, N.M. (estimated population 6,246)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPANNRES/1620000US3579840>

4,540

The number of motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) where one could possibly enjoy a horrorfest. California (519), Texas (297), New York (272) and Florida (213) had the most of such establishments. There were 225 drive-in motion picture theaters in 2012 — both Pennsylvania and Ohio tied for the most, with 22 in each state.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 County Business Patterns, NAICS 512131 & 512132
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2012/00A1/0100000US|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-03-27-2014.pdf>

$686 million

The estimated construction spending on theme/amusement parks in 2013. 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, Manufacturing and Construction Statistics
<//www.census.gov/construction/c30/xls/privsatime.xls>

1,216

The number of costume rental and formal wear establishments; they had a total of 6,348 paid employees across the nation in 2012 (for the pay period including March 12, 2012).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 County Business Patterns, NAICS 532220
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2012/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~532220>

$1.1 billion

Dollar value of U.S. fresh apples exported in 2013. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $332 million worth. Whether bobbing for or dipping in caramel, apples can be a fun treat around Halloween.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics, Commodity Code 080810
<//www.census.gov/foreign-trade/index.html>

Who You Gonna Call?

89%

Percent of all households 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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