Valentine’s Day, By The Numbers

As every lovesick schoolboy eventually learns, Valentine's Day is traditionally a day in which people express their affection for one another by presenting gifts, such as cards, candy, flowers and other symbols of love. 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 ancient Rome.

In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day, and down 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 with even young children exchanging valentine’s cards with their fellow classmates.

So, in the spirit of the occasion—as they say—we thought we’d share with our readers some of the interesting statistics our friends over at the U.S. Census Bureau have compiled, relating to Valentine’s Day:

1,317. Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products, employing 38,369 people. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments, with 146, followed by Pennsylvania, with 115.

422. Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured nonchocolate confectionary products. These establishments employed 16,860 people. California led the nation in this category, with 47 establishments.

$12.2 billion. Total value of shipments for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $7.1 billion industry.

3,375. Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States.

24.3 pounds. Per capita consumption of candy by Americans.

$359 million. The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers, 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 ($269 million).

$18 million. The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses, for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.

18,509. The number of florists nationwide. These businesses employed 89,741 people.

26,683. Number of jewelry stores in the United States. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages.

2.1 million. The average annual number of marriages that take place in the United States. That breaks down to nearly 5,800 a day.

108,150. The average number of marriages performed in Nevada each year. 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.)

28.2 and 26.1 years. Median age at first marriage for men and women, respectively.

54.1%. The overall percentage of adults who reported being married.

69%. Percentage of people 15 years and older who have been married at some point in their lives — either currently or formerly.

6%. 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.

393. The number of dating service establishments nationwide. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed 3,125 people and pulled in $927 million in revenue.

19%. Percentage of people married twice among those who have ever married. Five percent have married three or more times. By comparison, 75 percent of people who have ever been married have made only one trip down the aisle.

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.