Highlights. Total American spending for Halloween 2023 totaled an estimated $12.2 billion; candy spending alone accounts for $3.6 billion.
- The average American had a $108.24 budget for Halloween 2023 supplies, such as costumes and candy.
- The average household Halloween candy budget for 2023 was $31.93.
- Over 169 million Americans made a Halloween candy budget for 2023.
- Spiderman is the most popular costume among American children, with 2.6 million wearing this costume for Halloween 2023.
- In 2022, consumers purchased 23.5 million pounds of their favorite* Halloween candies.
*Most-purchased by weight.
Halloween Shopping for 2023 Statistics
Americans planned to celebrate Halloween 2023 in record numbers (73% of consumers).
- 68% of 2023 consumers did their Halloween shopping in-store while 31% shopped online and picked up in-store.
- 65% of consumers buy online and have items shipped to their homes.
- 61% of 2023 Halloween consumers did at least some of their costume shopping on Amazon.
- 39% of consumers shop for Halloween costumes at a big box store, such as Walmart.
- 38% of consumers consider Halloween shopping to be an important household expense.
- 22% of consumers say it’s never too early for retailers to display and sell Halloween items, both online and in-store.
- 65% of consumers spent less than $100 on costumes for Halloween 2023, including 16% who planned to spend zero dollars.
Halloween Spending Statistics
When parties and events are included, the average American spent less than $250 on Halloween 2023.
- Americans spent a total of $12.2 billion or $108.24 per household for Halloween supplies in 2023.
- American households spent an average of $31.93 on Halloween candy in 2023.
- Households budgeted $36.84 for costumes and $34.76 for Halloween decor.
- Total nationwide retail spending for Halloween 2023 increased by $1.60 billion or 15.1% year-over-year (YoY).
- 31.3% of YoY growth in nationwide Halloween spending for 2023 was due to increased total spending on candy; 31.3% was due to increased total spending on costumes.
- The average household Halloween budget increased by $7.79, or 7.76%, YoY.
- Americans spent $10.6 billion for Halloween 2022, up 4.95% YoY.
- From 2020 to 2021, total Halloween spending increased 26.3% while household budgets grew 11.5%.
- While total Halloween retail spending declined 9.09% from 2019 (pre-pandemic) to 2020, the average household Halloween budget grew 6.78%.
Halloween Candy Spending Statistics
At one time, candy expenses consumed the largest portion of Halloween budgets; since 2018, candy has been the third-largest Halloween budget portion.
- Americans spent a total of $3.6 billion on Halloween candy in 2023.
- Candy is the most popular Halloween purchase; 96% of American households buy candy for Halloween.
- Halloween candy accounted for 7.38% of 2023 nationwide candy sales.
- Americans’ favorite* candies are Reese’s Cups, followed by M&M’s, Hot Tameles, and Skittles.
- Ten (10) U.S. states purchased 3.48 million pounds of Reese’s Cups for Halloween 2022.
- Californians purchased over 1.20 million pounds of Reese’s peanut butter cups for Halloween 2022.
- $31.93 or 29.5% of the average Halloween budget goes toward candy.
*Most-purchased by weight in pounds.
Halloween Costume Spending Statistics
The largest share of the average Halloween budget goes toward costume purchases.
- In the U.S., adults spend 42.9% more on their own costumes than they do on children’s costumes**.
- Shoppers spent a total of $4.1 billion on costumes for Halloween 2023, up 13.9% YoY.
- The average consumer had a costume budget of $36.84, up 34.0% YoY.
- Consumers spent a total of $2.0 billion, or 48.8% of all costume expenditures, on adult costumes.
- $1.4 billion was the projected total expenditure for children’s costumes for Halloween 2023 (34.1% of total costume expenditures).
- Americans have budgeted $700 million for pet costumes over the last three seasons (17.1% of total costume expenditures).
- Among adults, witch is the most popular costume; 5.8 million adults (and 1.4 million children) planned on witch costumes for Halloween 2023.
- 62% of Halloween shoppers consider price to be the most important element when shopping for costumes.
- 37% of shoppers search online for costume inspiration.
- Halloween costume spending totaled $3.6 billion in 2022, up 9.09%.
- From 2020 to 2021, total costume expenditures increased 27.2%.
- Costume spending in 2021 even surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 totals by 5.06%.
- Costume budgets are the only Halloween-related expenses that increased between 2021 and 2022.
**This figure includes adults without children.
Halloween Decor Spending Statistics
Decorations are the second-most popular Halloween purchase after candy; 3-in-4 households have decorations in their 2023 Halloween budget.
- Halloween decoration spending totaled $3.9 billion in 2023, up 14.7% YoY.
- 71% of Americans have a Halloween decoration budget of $100 or less in 2023, with 22% budgeting zero dollars.
- In 2023, $34.76 or 32.1% of the average Halloween budget was for decorations.
- From 2019 to 2023, the average Halloween decoration budget increased 18.6%.
- Americans spent a total of $808.1 million on pumpkins during the 2023 Halloween season, up 0.53% YoY.
- Halloween pumpkin sales in 2023 were 19.4% higher than their 5-year average.
- The cost of pumpkins increased 30.8% from 2017 to 2023 for a CAGR of 4.57%.
- 31% of Americans spend as much or more on Halloween decorations than they do on Christmas decor.
Halloween Shopping Statistics
Most consumers begin shopping for Halloween in the first two (2) weeks of October.
- 40% of shoppers source their Halloween supplies from discount stores.
- 39% of consumers report shopping at specialty Halloween and costume stores.
- 32% of consumers shop online in preparation for Halloween.
- 28% shop at grocery stores or supermarkets and 25% shop at department stores for Halloween supplies.
- Craft and fabric stores, home decor, and clothing stores each serve Halloween shoppers at an average rate of 13%.
- Thrift stores and resale shops attract an average of 12% of Halloween shoppers.
- Small and local businesses and home improvement stores each serve 9.0% of Halloween shoppers.
- Drug stores and greeting card/gift stores each serve an average of 8.0% of Halloween shoppers.
- 3.0% of consumers buy Halloween supplies from catalogs.
- 45% of consumers begin shopping for Halloween in September or earlier.
- 16% of Halloween consumers don’t begin shopping until the last two (2) weeks of October.
Halloween Consumer Statistics
Consumer behavior varies across demographics. For example, the average Southern household with children spends more than the average Midwestern household.
- Southerners budget $106.64 for Halloween, outspending celebrants in every other region by at least 2.97% in 2021.
- Midwesterners spend $95.60 on Halloween, budgeting at least 4.65% less than every other region.
- In households with children, budgets were $149.69 for Halloween 2021, 45.7% more than the average consumer.
- Consumers in households without children planned to spend $73.57, equivalent to 49.1% of spending among households with children.
- 35- to 44-year-olds budget an average of $149.34 for Halloween, outspending every other age group by at least 14.4%.
- Consumers aged 65+ budget an average of $57.07 for Halloween.
- Celebrants aged 65 years and older are least likely to purchase costumes, underspending every other age group by at least 40.7%.
These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.
Sources
- National Retail Federation, Retail Holiday and Seasonal Trends: Halloween
- Statista, Halloween in the U.S. – Statistics and Facts
- CandyStore.com, Most Popular Halloween Candy by State
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Population by Characteristics
- CandyUsa.com
- Power Reviews, Halloween Spending Trends Report
- Google Trends, Halloween