BY THE NUMBERS
BY THE NUMBERS
Valentine's Day: From U.S. Census Bureau
MARRIAGE
2.3 million: Number of marriages that take place in the United States annually. That breaks down to nearly 6,400 a day.
75: The number of marriages performed in Nevada per every 1,000 residents annually. The Silver State is by far the national marriage leader. Hawaii is ranked second, with 20 marriages per every 1,000 residents, and Arkansas third, with 15.
25.1 and 26.8: The estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and men, respectively. The age for women is up 4.3 years since 1970. The age for men, 3.6 years since 1970.
52 and 57: The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who are 15 and over and married, but not separated.
FLOWERS
$424 million: The wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2001. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for more than two-thirds of this amount ($292 million).
$68 million: The wholesale value of domestically produced roses in 2001. Roses generated the highest receipts of any type of cut flower, followed by lilies ($58 million).
24,197: The number of florists nationwide. These businesses employed 122,224 people.
$246 million: Value of U.S. imports of cut flowers from Colombia during a recent 10-month period. Colombia was the leading foreign supplier of cut flowers for the United States.
CHOCOLATE AND OTHER CANDY
995: Number of locations that produce chocolate and cocoa products. These locations employed 43,234 people.
600: Number of locations that produce nonchocolate confectionery products. These locations employed 24,800 people.
107: Number of establishments in Pennsylvania and California that churn out chocolate and cocoa products. These two states are the national co-leaders in chocolate-making. California, with 74, leads the United States in the number of locations that produce nonchocolate confectionery products.
$418 million: Value of U.S. imports of chocolate from Canada, the leading country of origin for such imports, during a recent 10-month period. Similarly, Canada was the leading foreign source of nonchocolate candy in the United States ($232 million worth in shipments).
3,961: Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States. Often referred to as "candy stores," they are among the best sources of sweets around Valentine's Day.
24 pounds: Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2001; it is believed a large portion is consumed around Valentine's Day. Candy consumption has actually declined the last few years: four years earlier, each American ate more than 27 pounds a year.
JEWELRY
29,303: Number of jewelry stores in the United States. Jewelry stores sell wedding, engagement and other rings and other baubles to lovers of all ages. Last February, these stores sold $2.1 billion in merchandise; over a recent 12-month period, sales were at a higher level only in December.
ROMANTIC-SOUNDING PLACES
2: The number of places in the United States named Valentine. Valentine, Neb., was the more populous of the two, with 2,820 residents; Valentine, Texas, had just 187.
9: Number of places nationwide with "love" in their name. Loveland, Colo., was the most populous, with 50,608 residents. The others: Lovejoy, Ga., Loves Park, Ill.; Lovelock, Nev.; Love Valley, N.C.; Loveland, Ohio; Loveland Park, Ohio; Loveland, Okla.; and Lovelady, Texas.
SINGLENESS
119: The number of single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages. This ratio declines somewhat for unmarried adults 30 to 44 (107 men per 100 women), but dramatically declines for 45- to 64-year-olds (72 single men for every 100 single women). For those age 65 and over, the ratio drops even further, to 31 single men for every 100 single women.
13.6 million: The number of people, ages 25 to 34, who have never been married; this number represents 34 percent of all people in this age group.