December 5,
2014 by in General 
The chart above shows the performance quarter-to-quarter for 2011Q2 through the second quarter of 2014. While the Bedding Industry had a slight decline of (-1.8%) from the previous quarter, sales are up 4.0% quarter-to-quarter (2013Q2 to 2014Q2).
*Historical data has been revised
December 1,
2014 by in General
The chart above shows the performance quarter to quarter from 2011Q3 through the third quarter of 2014.
With slow but steady growth, Industry sales are up 2.4% compared to 2013Q3 and continue to increase since the second quarter of 2014 – up 1.1%.
Furniture (excluding Bedding) increased 1.9%, while Bedding jumped 4.9% quarter to quarter (2013Q3 to 2014Q3).
November 24,
2014 by in General
The third quarter is almost always Bedding’s best performer, with 2014Q3 following suit. Bedding Sales increased 9.3% from 2014Q2 and 4.9% compared to sales in the same quarter last year. Nine month bedding sales for 2014 are at $9.7 million, up 4.3 percent from the same nine-month period in 2013.
*2014 Q2 data has been revised..
November 14,
2014 by in General
The Industry continued its slow growth in Quarter 3 increasing 1.1% over last quarter (2014Q2) Q3 sales totaled $22.06 billion, primarily on the strength of a good quarter in Bedding. Combined Furniture and Bedding increased 2.4% from the third quarter of 2013.
While Furniture (excluding Bedding) experienced an increase of 1.9% over 2013Q3, sales were essentially flat over the second quarter of 2014 – down by (-0.3%). Bedding sales were up 4.9% from 2013Q3 and rose significantly over last quarter – up 9.2%.
November 7,
2014 by in General
Wonder where the money is in the U.S.? This factoid compares the percentage breakdown between the number of counties and their total personal income. It looks at the distribution of personal income among the 3,141 counties by total county income range and categorizes the highest to lowest total personal income.
The highest income counties (over $50 billion in personal income) only number 46 (1% of total counties); however, they are responsible for one-third of the total U.S. personal income.
Top 10 Counties (over $50 Billion in personal income)
1. Los Angeles, CA –Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Market
2. Cook, IL –Chicago-Joliet-Naperville Market
3. Harris, TX –Houston-Sugarland-Baytown Market
4. New York, NY –New York-White Plains-Wayne Market
5. Orange, CA –Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine Market
6. San Diego, CA –San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos Market
7. Maricopa, AZ –Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale Market
8. Santa Clara, CA –San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Market
9. King, WA –Seattle-Bellevue-Everett Market
10. Dallas, TX –Dallas-Plano-Irving Market
Although the top two county income ranges, Over $50 Billion and $10 Billion to $50 Billion, are only 8% of total counties (238 counties), they make up 68% of total personal income . The middle range, $1 Billion to $10 Billion, contribute 27% to personal income and has the largest number of counties –39% and totaling 1,214.
Well over half the counties in the country (1,664) are responsible for just 5% of total personal income.
October 31,
2014 by in General
While the previous factoid profiled states by their median household incomes, this factoid digs deeper by profiling at the county level. Only 99 counties are in the highest range with households earning a median income over $75,000 –accounting for 3.2%.
While the second highest range includes the U.S. median of $53,046 at its start point, it goes up to $75,000 and makes up 17.4% of total counties.
The next two ranges combined, households earning between $30,000 and $53,046, account for 75% of the country and include 2,361 of the 3,161 counties, while households earning a median income under $30,000 made up only 4.3%.
Looking at the 5 counties with the highest median income, the top 3 are in Virginia and part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria market. With only 4,857 households, Falls Church City, VA has a median income of $122,884 –132% higher than the U.S. median of $53,046. Also with median incomes well over $100,000, Loudoun and Fairfax, VA have a greater number of households –a combined 492,647.
Both the fourth and fifth highest counties have a median income 100% greater than the U.S. median. Howard, MD is in the large Baltimore MSA market, while Los Alamos, NM is in a Micro SA market with only 7,498 households.
October 22,
2014 by in General
Looking at the profile of how individual states compare to the total U.S. median income of $53,046, only two, Maryland and New Jersey, have median incomes over $70,000. Also well over the U.S. median, the next range of $60,000 to $70,000, has nine states that account for 17.6% of the state count.
Together, the two median ranges $53,046 to $60,000 and $45,000 to $53,046 make up 30 states and account for 58.8%. The lowest range of states include median incomes under $45,000 and consists of 10 states or 19.6%.
The 5 states with the highest median household income are Maryland, New Jersey, Alaska, Connecticut, and Hawaii. With a median income of $72,999, Maryland is 38% higher than the U.S. median income of $53,046. Also in the top income range, New Jersey has a median income of $71,637 –above the U.S. median by 35%.
Both Alaska and Connecticut are 31% higher than the country’s median income with their own state median income’s above $69,000. Rounding out the top 5 states, Hawaii has a median income of $67,492 –27% greater than the U.S. median income.
July 30,
2014 by in General
Although Bedding Sales decreased by (-1.8%) from the first quarter of 2014, the Bedding Industry is up 4.0% compared to sales in the same quarter last year. Note that historically Bedding sales typically decline in the second quarter compared to the first quarter. Year-to-date, sales are up 3.9%.
July 24,
2014 by in General
After a slump in 2014Q1, the Industry increased 3.3% in quarter 2 with sales totaling $21.80 billion. Combined Furniture and Bedding increased 3.1% from the second quarter of 2013.
Furniture (excluding Bedding) experienced an increase of 2.9% over 2013Q2 and rose significantly since the first quarter of 2014 – up 4.2%. Although Bedding declined (-1.8%) over last quarter, sales are still up 4.0% from 2013Q2.
July 18,
2014 by in General
Despite the improving economy, median household incomes remain flat well after the Great Recession’s bottom in 2009. According to the Census Bureau’s report, median household income, adjusted for inflation, was $51,017 in 2012 – down (- 8.3%) from 2007 and (-4.3%) from 2009.