Valentine's Day Facts

Valentine's Day 2010: Feb. 14

Opinions abound as to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular
theory that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying
couples in ancient Rome in spite of Emperor Claudius II, who felt that
marriage weakened his soldiers. In any event, in A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I
declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day. Through the centuries, the Christian
holiday became a time to exchange love messages, and St. Valentine became
the patron saint of lovers. Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is
given credit for selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the
1840s. The spirit of love continues today as valentines are sent with
sentimental verses, from and to young and old romantics.

Candy is Dandy

1,233
Number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2007. These
establishments employed 38,794 people. California
led the nation in the number of such establishments with 143, followed by
Pennsylvania with 115.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

466
Number of locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in
2007. These establishments employed 18,250 people.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

$14.4 billion
Total value of shipments in 2007 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa
products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing,
meanwhile, was a $5.6 billion industry. Source: 2007 Economic Census <
http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/>

3,643
Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2007.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

23.8 pounds
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2008.
Source: Current Industrial Reports <
http://www.census.gov/cir/www/311/ma311d.html>

Flowers

$403 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2008
for all
flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states,
California was the leading producer, alone accounting
for about three-quarters of this amount ($314 million). Source: USDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service
<
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072
>

$24 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2008 for
all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072
>

19,759
The number of florists nationwide in 2007. These businesses employed 93,779
people.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

Jewelry

27,484
Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2007. Jewelry stores offer
engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages.
In February 2009, these stores sold $2.2 billion in merchandise.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>
and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of
the nation's
1,753 jewelry manufacturing establishments.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

Be Mine

2.16 million
The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2008. That
breaks down to a little less than 6,000 a day.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics <
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm>

112,185
The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2008. So many couples
tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked fifth
nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among
states was 35th. (California ranked first in marriages.)
Source: National Center for Health Statistics <
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm> and population estimates,


27.6 and 25.9 years
Median age at first marriage in 2008 for men and women, respectively.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ms2.xls>

56% and 59%
The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who were 18 or
older and married (includes those who are separated) in 2008.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2008/tabA1-all.xls>

70%
Percentage of people 30 to 34 in 2008 who had been married at some point in
their lives -- either currently or formerly.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2008/tabA1-all.xls>

73%

Among women who married for the first time between 1985 and 1989, the
percentage who marked their 10th anniversary. This compares
with 87 percent of women who married for the first time between 1955 and
1959.
Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/marital-hist/2004/Table2.2004.xls>

6%
As of 2004, the percentage of currently married women who had been married
for at least 50 years. A little more than half of currently married
women had been married for at least 15 years.
Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004 www/releases/archives/marital_status_living_arrangements/010624.html>

*The Census Bureau data in this section do not include same-sex marriages;
the National Center for Health Statistics data do.

Looking for Love

904
The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These
establishments, which include Internet dating services,
employed nearly 4,300 people and pulled in $489 million in revenue.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <
http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

Try Looking Here . . .

Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine's Day:

Rose City, Texas Rose City, Mich.
South Heart, N.D.
Loveland, Colo. Darling, Minn.
Loveland, Ohio
Romeo, Colo. Sacred Heart, Minn.
Loveland Park, Ohio
Lovejoy, Ga. Heart Butte, Mont.
Love County, Okla.
Loves Park, Ill. Valentine, Neb.
Loveland, Okla.
Lovington, Ill. Lovelock, Nev.
Lovelady, Texas
Romeoville, Ill. Loving, N.M.
Loving County, Texas
Rosemont, Ill. Lovington, N.M.
Valentine, Texas
Romeo, Mich. Love Valley, N.C.
Rose Hill Acres, Texas
Lovejoy, Ill. Rosemont, Md.
Rosemont, N.D.

There are also 8 different places named "Rose Hill" and 7 named
"Roseville."

Source: American FactFinder

Giving Love a Second Chance

19%
Percentage of ever-married women and men, respectively, 15 and older who
have married twice, as of 2008. Five percent each have married three or
more times. By comparison, 76 percent of women and 75 percent of men who
have ever been married have made only one trip down the aisle.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey
<
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/014237.html
>

8
Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce.

3 1/2
The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage.

52% and 44%
Among adults 25 and older who have ever divorced, the percentage of men and
women, respectively, who were currently married.

Source for the data in this section, unless otherwise noted: Marriage and
Divorce: 2004
<
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/marital_status_living_arrangements/010624.html
>