15+ Fun-Sized Halloween Statistics [2023]

Halloween Holiday Decorations

Halloween, the spookiest night of the year, once again will bring out the ghouls, ghosts, and witches in all their frightening glory. To celebrate, our market research company is shining a spotlight on the intriguing statistics that defined this haunting holiday.

From the top costume choices to the candy favorites that made trick-or-treating a sweet success, here are our favorite Halloween statistics for 2023. 

Top Halloween Statistics [Editor's Choice]

  • 44% of consumers will cut down on costs by finding bargains and/or reusing costumes
  • Roughly 148 million Americans celebrate Halloween every year
  • Americans spend around $10 billion on Halloween per year
  • Each year, Americans consume roughly 24 pounds of Halloween candy 

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Spending | Candy | Celebrations and Costumes


Overall Halloween Spending Habits💸

  • Americans spend around $10 billion on Halloween per year
    Now that we've got that squared away, which group spends the most? Surprise, surprise--it's Gen Z. This demographic shells out $255 each year on Halloween-related goodies. 

  • 20% of the year-over-year expansion in Halloween spending nationally is from candy purchases
    But up to 60% of this is from costume purchases. While we're at it, here are some good Halloween costume ideas if you're stumped: 
    • Barbie 
    • Top Gun's Maverick
    • Wednesday Addams
    • Mario and Luigi

  • Up to 73% of those who celebrate Halloween have been impacted by economic changes
    So, how will people continue to celebrate? 34% will buy less-expensive candy, 34% will say goodbye to spooky Halloween decor, and 44% will be on the hunt for bargains. 

  • 45% of shoppers begin their costume shopping in late September
    You gotta prep if you want to have the best costume! Around 39% of consumers will wait a bit longer and start their costume shopping in early October. 

  • Roughly $11 million dollars are spent on recovery from Halloween-related house fires
    Pumpkins aside, your decorations are positioned safely to prevent any further damage or mishaps. 

  • A brave 72% of consumers would consider buying a haunted house
    Looks like they haven't seen enough horror movies. Speaking of haunted houses, the annual revenue for haunted house tours and related festivities is over $300 million. 80% of these attractions are hosted by charity organizations.

  • IT: Chapter One was one of the highest-grossing horror movies of all time at $123.4 million dollars
    Other eerie money-makers throughout the years include The Sixth Sense ($672 million), The Exorcist ($441 million), and The Nun ($365 million). Earnings aside, some of the scariest horror movies based on the viewer's heart rate include Sinister (86 BPM), The Conjuring (86 BPM), and Paranormal Activity (82 BPM). 

Halloween Candy Statistics 🍭

Let's be real, the candy was always the best part about celebrating Halloween as a kid (and we think it still is). But when it comes to which house has the best candy, that's a whole other level. 

Whether you enjoy chocolates or sugary candies, everyone has a staunch opinion on which sweet treat is number one. Check out these candy-related Halloween statistics we found…

  • Reese's cups are one of the most popular Halloween candy, with 22% of Americans placing them as their favorite treat
    Other contenders include Kit-Kat (15%), Snickers (14%) and Hershey's chocolates (12%). Breaking the chocolate theme is candy corn (8%), perhaps the most classic of Halloween treats.

  • In the past, Halloween candy spending has gone over $3 billion dollars
    Each year, the typical household will shell out $25 on Halloween candy - equating to over $2 billion dollars. But where's the best spot to buy all this candy? Wal-Mart comes out as the most popular location to grab treats, with Target following closely behind. 

  • Preferred candy varies from state to state
    No shocker here, but Reese's was number one for many states...but not all. In Arizona, Skittles comes out as number one. Michigan loves its Starbursts, and Montana goes crazy for Hot Tamales. 

  • Cotton candy was invented by a...dentist?!
    It's true. A more niche Halloween treat, cotton candy was created by dentist William Morrison in 1897. However, the sweet treat went by the name of "Fairy Floss"--not cotton candy--in its early days. 

  • Tootsie Pops take between 364 to 411 licks to finish
    There was always at least one of these in our trick-or-treat bags. Believe it or not, Tootsie Roll Inc. actually has licking machines to test how many licks it takes to get to the soft center.

Halloween Celebration Statistics🎭

Whether you prefer a laid-back Halloween, handing out candy at home, or heading out to a costume party, there are many different ways to celebrate the day. 

  • A whopping 87% of consumers will be enjoying Halloween this year
    A loyal 22% believe it's never too early to start running Halloween ads online, while 35% think that July is too early (we might have to agree on that). 

  • 47% of people wear costumes to celebrate the day
    We already gave you some ideas for costumes. Let's not forget parties, though. Below are a few fun themes that everyone can enjoy:
    • Murder mystery
    • Nightmare Before Christmas
    • Pumpkin carving
    • Horror movie night
  • Americans spend roughly $804 million on pumpkins
    Ready to hit the patch? The average price of a pumpkin comes out at around $5, which is up by 11% in 2022.

  • Trick-or-treating goes way back to the 1600s
    Referred to as "guising" back in the day, children in Scotland and Ireland would dress in costume and ask neighbors for candy. Adaptations of this now-classic tradition began in the US in the early 1900s. 

Final Thoughts

Do you feel Halloween-ready yet from these Halloween statistics A chance to get festive each year, this holiday provides those who celebrate with the opportunity to dress up and eat plenty of candy. 

Overall, spending stats for Halloween this year are high and will likely continue to be so for the years to come. While some Americans may be cutting costs by recycling costumers or reducing decorations, the spirit of this classic holiday is still very much alive! 

Sourcing 


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lark-allen-drive-research-aboutheauthor

Lark Allen

As a Content Marketing Specialist, Lark has a strong background and passion for creative, professional, and journalistic writing. She is also a self-proclaimed music freak and 90s enthusiast.

Learn more about Lark, here.


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