Cool Halloween Facts!

Dating back 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween is an ancient tradition associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires.

Dating back 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween is an ancient tradition associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Today, Halloween has evolved into a celebration characterized by child-friendly activities like trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns and dressing in costumes.

Trick or Treat!

• 41.1 million

The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2015 — children ages 5 to 14 — across the United States. Of course, many other children — older than age 15 and younger than age 5 — also go trick-or-treating. Source: 2016 Population Estimates, Table PEPASR6H https://factfinder .census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPASR6H

• 118.8 million

The number of occupied housing units across the nation in the first quarter 2017 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters. Source: Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 census.gov /housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html

• 66.6 million

The number of housing units where trick-or-treaters had to climb steps in order to fill their bags full of candy in 2015. Source: 2015 American Housing Survey www.census.gov/programs-surveys /ahs/data/interactive/ahstablecreator.html

• 78.7%

The percentage of U.S. households that agreed their neighbors could be trusted in 2013. Source: 2013 American Housing Survey www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-61.html

• 17.3%

The percentage of U.S. households who think their neighborhood has a lot of petty crime. Source: 2015 American Housing Survey https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys-2015-us-households-who-think-their-neighborhood-petty-crime

Hauntingly Delicious

• 39,815

The number of people employed by U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2015. This industry’s value of shipments totaled $17.2 billion, up from $16.0 billion in 2014. Sources: 2015 Annual Survey of Manufactures, NAICS 311351, 311352 https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASM/2015/31GS101//naics~311351|311352

• 18,427

The number of people employed by U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced nonchocolate confectionary products. This industry’s value of shipments totaled $8.2 billion in 2015. Sources: 2015 Annual Survey of Manufactures, NAICS 311340 https://factfinder.census .gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASM/2015/31GS101//naics~311340

• 3,280

The number of U.S. confectionary and nut stores that sell candy and other confectionary products, employing 23,243 people in 2015. Source: 2015 County Business Patterns, NAICS 445292 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2015/00A1//naics~445292

Dressed to Thrill

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

          Occupation  —  Number of Full-Time, Year-Round Employees Age 16 plus

• Actors  —  13,079
• Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers  —  109,943
• Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers  —  376,460
• Dentists  —  95,713
• Physicians and surgeons  — 715,361
• Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers  —  478,065
• Firefighters  —  254,678
• Police and sheriff’s patrol officers  —  662,619
• Registered nurses  —  2,227,835

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, B24124 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/ en /ACS/15_1YR/B24124

Places to Spend Halloween

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

• Tombstone, Ariz. (estimated population 1,300) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US0474400

 

• Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. (estimated population 10,198) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US3667638

 

• Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (estimated population 7,121) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US3735720

 

• Yellville, Ark. (estimated population 1,171) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US0577330

 

• Transylvania County, N.C. (estimated population 33,482) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/0500000US37175

 

• Slaughter Beach, Del. (estimated population 233) Source: 2016 Population Estimates https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US1067050

 

• Casper, Wyo. (estimated population 59,324) Source: 2016 Population Estimates https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000US5613150

 

• Scarville, Iowa (estimated population 71) Source: 2016 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/1620000US1971040

 

• Truth or Consequences, N.M. (estimated population 6,023) Source: 2016 Population Estimates https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/1620000 US3579840

Spooktacular

4,407

The number of motion picture theaters (except drive-ins) in the United States in 2015 where one could possibly enjoy a horror movie. California (497), Texas (330), New York (258) and Florida (199) had the most of such establishments. There were 213 drive-in motion picture theaters in 2015 — Ohio had 21, California had 18 and Pennsylvania had 19 drive-in motion picture theaters. Source: 2015 County Business Patterns, NAICS 512131 & 512132 http://factfinder.census.gov/ bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2015/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~512131|512132

$12.4 million

The value of U.S. imports of pumpkins in 2016. Pumpkin carving and decorating is a popular Halloween tradition. Source: International Trade Statistics, Commodity Code 070993100 https://usatrade.census.gov/

$1.93 billion

The estimated private construction spending on theme/amusement parks in 2016. Halloween events at theme/amusement parks can be frighteningly fun. For more information about construction spending, visit www.census.gov/constructionspending. Source: Annual Value of Construction Put in Place Survey 2008-2016 www.census.gov/construction/c30/xls/private.xls

1,026

The number of formal wear and costume rental establishments in the United States. This industry had 6,504 paid employees across the nation in 2015 (for the pay period including March 12, 2015). Source: 2015 County Business Patterns, NAICS 532220 https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk /table/1.0/en/BP/2015/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~532220

302

The number of broom, brush, and mop, 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: 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 339994 and NAICS 339995 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/31SG1/ /naics~339994|339995

$935.5 million

Dollar value of U.S. fresh apples exported in 2016. Whether bobbing for or dipping in caramel, apples can be a fun treat around Halloween. Source: International Trade Statistics, Commodity Code 080810 https://usatrade.census.gov/

Who You Gonna Call?

89.0%

The percentage of households that had a cellular phone in 2011, compared with only 36.0 percent in 1998.

The percentage of households with a cellular phone only (no landline) rose from less than 1.0 percent in 1998 to 28.0 percent in 2011.

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^{Sources:U.S. Census Bureau; Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011}

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