Census Bureau Measures Pets, Barbecues and Boxing

Over the last year, 78m US citizens read books, 68m barbecued, and 3m took part in kickboxing. These are just some of the comprehensive findings of the 125th edition of the US Census Bureau's new Statistical Abstract of the United States 2006.

The Statistical Abstract, which dates back to 1878, includes 80 new tables this year - on topics from pet ownership to bathroom remodelling. Overall, the abstract has 1,375 tables detailing social, political and economic facts about the US.

Other findings include:

• In 2003, American households spent a yearly average of $40,820: $13,430 on housing, $7,780 on transport, $5,340 on food and $400 on alcohol.>
• 79 million Americans take brisk walks - the most popular sports activity - to keep in shape.
• 36% of households own at least one dog.
• Bathroom remodelling was highly popular in 2004, enjoyed by nearly 16m homeowners.
• Nearly 1 in 10 employees had been with the same employer 20 or more years in 2004.
• In 2004, almost 698m passengers boarded US scheduled planes, up from 666m in 2000. However, revenue per passenger mile for US scheduled airlines declined from 13.5 cents in 2000 to 11.7 cents in 2004.

The Statistical Abstract is available online at www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract.html.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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