By the Numbers: Valentine's Day

Expressing one's love to another is a celebrated custom onValentine's Day. Sweethearts and family members present gifts to one another, such as cards, candy, flowers and other symbols of affection.

Opinions differ as to who was the original Valentine, but the most popular theory is that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancientRome. In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declaredFeb. 14asValentine Day.Esther Howland, a native ofMassachusetts, is given credit for selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit continues today with even young children exchanging valentine's cards with their fellow classmates.

Candy

1,185: Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2013, employing 38,717 people.Californialed the nation with 129 of these establishments, followed byPennsylvania, with 114.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2013, NAICS code (311351) and (311352)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~311351|311352

448: Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured non-chocolate confectionary products in 2013. These establishments employed 19,308 people.Californialed the nation in this category with 45 establishments.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2013, NAICS code (31134)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1/0100000US|0100000US.04000/naics~31134

$14.9 billion: The estimated value of chocolate and cocoa product shipments for manufacturing establishments that produced these products in 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Annual Survey of Manufactures, Products and Service Codes (311351 and 311352)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASM/2014/31VS101//prodsvc~311351|311352

Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, had an estimated$9.3 billionin value of product shipments in 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Annual Survey of Manufactures, Products and Service Code (311340)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASM/2014/31VS101//prodsvc~311340

3,368: Number of confectionery and nut stores inthe United Statesin 2013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (445292)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1//naics~445292

Flowers

14,161: The number of florists' establishments nationwide in 2013. These businesses employed 62,222 people.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (4531)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1//naics~4531

$272,180,347: The value of imports for cut flowers and buds for bouquets in 2014 through October. The total value of fresh cut roses as ofOctober 2014was$381,757,889.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade DivisionUSATrade Online U.S. Import and Export Merchandise trade (Commodity code-060319)
https://usatrade.census.gov/

Jewelry

23,096: The number of jewelry stores inthe United Statesin 2013. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to couples of all ages. InFebruary 2013, these stores sold an estimated$2.5 billionin merchandise.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (448310) http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1//naics~448310and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Serviceshttp://www.census.gov/retail

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation's 2,134 jewelry and silverware manufacturing establishments.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (339910)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2013/00A1//naics~339910

"Please Be Mine"

29.5 and 27.6 years: Median age at first marriage in 2014 for men and women, respectively.
Source: Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B12007 

47.7%: The overall percentage of people 15 and older who reported being married, except those separated.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S1201 

35.1: The provisional rate of marriages per 1,000 people performed inNevadaduring 2012. So many couples tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked number one nationally in marriage rates.Hawaiiranked second with a marriage rate of 17.5.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/state_marriage_rates_90_95_and_99-12.pdf

2.1 million: The provisional number of marriages that took place inthe United Statesin 2012. That breaks down to about 5,800 a day.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/marriage_divorce_tables.htm

Giving Love a Second Chance

19.2%: Among people 15 and older who have been married, the percentage of men and women who have been married twice as of 2014; 5 percent have married three or more times. By comparison, 75.5 percent of people who have ever been married have made only one trip down the aisle.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B12505

Looking for Love

399: The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2012. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed 2,348 people.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/81A1//naics~8129902

Try Looking Here . . .

Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine's Day:    

Rose City,Texas  (Population – 514)

Loveland, Colo. (Population – 72,651)

Romeo, Colo. (Population – 394)

Lovejoy, Ga. (Population – 6,406)

Loves Park, Ill. (Population – 23,551)

Lovington, Ill. (Population – 1,109)

Romeoville, Ill. (Population – 39,679)

Rosemont, Ill. (Population – 4,226)

Romeo, Mich. (Population – 3,628)

Rose City, Mich. (Population – 636)

Sacred Heart, Minn. (Population – 520)

Valentine, Neb. (Population – 2,785)

Lovelock, Nev. (Population – 1,900)

Loving, N.M. (Population – 1,399)

Lovington, N.M. (Population – 11,840)

Rosemont, Md. (Population – 306)                 

Love Valley, N.C. (Population – 98)

South Heart, N.D. (Population – 403)

Loveland, Ohio (Population – 12,405)

Love County, Okla. (Population – 9,773)

Loveland, Okla. (Population – 13)

Lovelady, Texas (Population – 621)

Loving County, Texas (Population – 86)         

Valentine, Texas (Population – 126)

Rose Hill Acres, Texas (Population – 444)

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