GhostDrop Field Notes / Reference
Halloween Statistics: Spending, Costumes, and Shopping Trends
A citable snapshot of the latest available U.S. Halloween consumer survey, covering spending, costumes, decorations, candy, and when people start shopping.
Last updated September 7, 2026. The most recent figures on this page are from the National Retail Federation's September 18, 2025 survey release.
AT A GLANCE
Halloween is a major retail moment.
The latest complete national survey projected $13.1 billion in Halloween spending, with 73% of consumers planning to celebrate. Costumes, decorations, and candy each represented multibillion-dollar purchase categories.
For writers, retailers, and anyone planning seasonal content, the practical takeaway is simple: shoppers start early, spend across several categories, and expect Halloween to show up well beyond a single October weekend.
THE NUMBERS
14 Halloween statistics to cite.
$13.1B
Expected U.S. Halloween spending
The National Retail Federation projected a record total for the 2025 season.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202573%
Of consumers planned to celebrate
Halloween remains a broad cultural moment, not a niche shopping occasion.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025$114.45
Expected spend per person
That was the highest per-person spending level in the survey's history.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202579%
Expected higher prices
Most shoppers anticipated prices would rise because of tariffs.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202566%
Planned to hand out candy
Handing out candy was the most common planned Halloween activity.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202551%
Planned to wear a costume
Dressing up tied decorating as a top planned activity.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202551%
Planned to decorate
Home and yard decorating matched costume participation.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202571%
Planned to buy costumes
Costumes remained one of the season's biggest purchase categories.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025$4.3B
Expected costume spending
Costume purchases were projected to account for roughly one-third of all Halloween spending.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202578%
Planned to buy decorations
Decoration buying rose from 75% in the previous year's survey.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025$4.2B
Expected decoration spending
Decor became another multibillion-dollar Halloween category.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025$3.9B
Expected candy spending
Candy was the most popular Halloween purchase category.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 202549%
Had started shopping in September
Nearly half of consumers began their Halloween shopping before October.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025$0.7B
Expected greeting-card spending
Greeting cards were a smaller, but growing, seasonal purchase category.
National Retail Federation, September 18, 2025WHAT THE DATA SAYS
Three useful patterns behind the headline numbers.
Shopping starts before October.
With 49% of consumers already shopping in September, seasonal products and ideas need to be easy to find well ahead of Halloween week.
Costumes and decor carry serious spend.
Projected costume spending reached $4.3 billion and decoration spending reached $4.2 billion, which shows the season is about personal expression as much as candy.
Participation stays broad.
Nearly three in four consumers planned to celebrate, while handing out candy, decorating, and dressing up were all common activities.
SOURCES AND METHOD
How to use these figures.
Every statistic on this page comes from the National Retail Federation's 2025 Halloween consumer survey release, published September 18, 2025. The survey was conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
These figures are national consumer survey projections, not GhostDrop sales data. Use the linked source when you need the original survey context, definitions, or methodology.
Suggested citation
GhostDrop Studios. “Halloween Statistics: Consumer Spending & Shopping Trends.” Updated September 7, 2026. https://ghostdropstudios.com/halloween-statistics
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