Statistically Speaking

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared it would be held on the fourth Thursday of every November. Here are some stats about this year’s Turkey Day in the U.S.:

Cost per pound of whole turkey: $1.07

Number of turkeys raised: 265 million

Value of the turkey industry: $3.6 billion

Tons of sweet corn processed: 3 million

Pounds of cranberries produced: 45 million

Average pounds of sweet potato consumed per capita, yearly: 4.7

Households that celebrate Thanksgiving: 108 million

Source: U.S. Census Bureau