CB12-FF.14 

July 24, 2012 

Labor Day 2012: Sept. 3 

The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on 

Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners 

Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing “Labor Day” on one day 

or another, and Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover 

Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor 

Day. 

Who Are We Celebrating? 

155.2 million 

Number of people 16 and older in the nation’s labor force in June 2012. 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

<http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf> 

Employee Benefits 

85.0% 

Percentage of full-time workers 18 to 64 covered by health insurance during all or part 

of 2010. 

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010, derived 

from Table 8 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf> 

Our Jobs 

Americans worked in a variety of occupations in 2010. Here is a sampling: 

Occupation Number of employees 

Actors 7,835 

Computer programmers 389,471 

Cooks 1,051,896 

Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists 395,311 

Janitors and building cleaners 1,445,991 

Teachers (preschool – grade 12) 3,073,673 

Telemarketers 48,455 

Telephone operators 33,057 

Web developers 115,561 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table B24124 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y 

R_B24124&prodType=table> 

26.3 million 

Number of female workers 16 and older in management, business, science, and arts occupations 

in 2010. Among male workers, 16 and older, 23.7 million were employed in management, 

professional and related occupations. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table C24010 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y
 

R_C24010&prodType=table> 

1.4% 

Percentage increase in employment in the United States between December 2010 and 

December 2011. Employment increased in 266 of the 322 largest counties (large counties are 

defined as having employment levels of 75,000 or more). 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

<http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewqtr.nr0.htm> 

5.3% 

Percentage increase in Kern County, Calif., between December 2010 and December 2011, the 

largest increase in employment among the 322 largest counties. Harris County, Texas, had the 

highest level increase of 62,700 jobs. 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

<http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewqtr.nr0.htm> 

3.4% 

Percentage decline in employment in Benton County, Wash., between December 2010 and 

December 2011, the largest percentage decrease among the nation’s 322 largest counties. 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

<http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewqtr.nr0.htm> 

5.9 million 

The number of people who worked from home in 2010. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table B08128 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y
 

R_B08128&prodType=table> 

Another Day, Another Dollar 

$47,715 and $36,931 

The 2010 real median earnings for male and female full-time, year-round workers, respectively. 

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf> 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early, Lonely and Long — the Commute to Work 

16.3 million 

Number of commuters who left for work between midnight and 5:59 a.m. in 2010. They 

represent 12.5 percent of all commuters. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table B08132 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y 

R_B08132&prodType=table> 

76.6%
 Percentage of workers who drove alone to work in 2010. Another 9.7 percent carpooled and 

4.9 percent took public transportation (excluding taxicabs). 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table DP03 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y
 

R_DP03&prodType=table> 

25.3 minutes 

The average time it took people in the nation to commute to work in 2010. Maryland and New 

York had the most time-consuming commutes, averaging 31.8 and 31.3 minutes, respectively. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table R0801 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y 

R_R0801.US01PRF&prodType=table> 

3.2 million 

Number of workers who faced extreme commutes to work of 90 or more minutes each day in 

2010. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, Table B08012 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1Y 

R_B08012&prodType=table> 

For detailed information on the data force, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at 

<http://www.bls.gov/> 

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features 

series: 

African-American History Month (February) Labor Day 

Super Bowl Grandparents Day 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) 

Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31)

 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month 

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November) 

Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) 

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day 

Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December) 

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4) 

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) 

Back to School (August) 

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public 

Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.