Beyond the costumes and decorations, the Halloween season has become an economic engine generating billions of dollars. Spending on candy, pumpkins, and other items accompanies this popular celebration.
Halloween isn’t just a holiday of costumes and scares; it’s also a significant economic driver in the United States. In 2024, consumers planned to spend more than $11.5 billion on the season, according to data from Statista.
Most of this spending is concentrated in three main categories: costumes, decorations, and candy. Last year, Americans spent a total of $3.8 billion on spooky outfits and decorations, while spending on candy for “trick-or-treat” reached $3.5 billion. In total, more than 70% of the country’s population planned to celebrate Halloween or participate in its activities.
As for shopping habits, discount stores (37%) remain the favorite destination for Halloween items, followed closely by specialty costume stores (33%) and online shopping (33%), according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
Halloween: The Sweet Feast
The treats market is one of the main beneficiaries of the season. According to the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) 2025 “The State of Treating” report, Halloween is the second most important holiday for total candy and chocolate sales, generating around $7.4 billion in sales.
According to the NCA, 94% of Americans celebrate Halloween with candy and chocolate. Among those who hand out candy for the traditional “trick-or-treat,” 97% give out chocolates and candies. Of those, two-thirds say they give between two and three pieces to each child. More than half of Americans enjoy their Halloween candy before October 31st, and a curious fact is that more than half of parents admit to stealing candy from their children’s haul.
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Pumpkins: A Million-Dollar Tradition
Pumpkins are an iconic element of the season, and their production and sale represent a million-dollar market. In 2024, the United States produced around 14.42 million hundredweight of pumpkins, according to data from the USDA and Statista. It’s estimated that consumers spent approximately $762.8 million on pumpkins for decorating and carving the famous Jack-o’-lantern, confirming their importance in the Halloween celebration.
In 2017, pumpkin-flavored products generated approximately $286.08 million in sales in the United States.