Halloween Spending Hits Record $13.5 Billion as Trick-or-Treaters Hit the Streets Tonight
The National Retail Federation says Americans are set to spend more on costumes, candy and decorations than ever before this year, even as shoppers insist they're watching their budgets.
Halloween falling on a Saturday this year is turning into good news for retailers. The National Retail Federation, in its annual survey conducted with Prosper Insights & Analytics, projects Americans will spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, up from $13.1 billion last year — a 3.82% increase that isn't adjusted for inflation. The survey polled 7,889 consumers between Sept. 1 and 9.
Average planned spending per person comes in at about $115, barely budging from $114.45 in 2025. Costumes are expected to account for $4.4 billion of the total, decorations another $4.3 billion, and candy $4.1 billion — with 96% of consumers telling surveyors they plan to buy sweets regardless of whatever else they skip. NRF's Allison Zeller framed the numbers as a sign shoppers are prioritizing the holiday without losing sight of their wallets, saying consumers continue to make Halloween a spending priority while also approaching the season with affordability in mind.
A Saturday Halloween brings its own scramble
The calendar quirk is also reshaping trick-or-treat logistics in cities nationwide. Cleveland is sticking with its traditional window, 6 to 8 p.m. tonight, while Ames, Iowa moved its trick-or-treat hours to Friday evening entirely to avoid conflicting with an Iowa State home football game. Gurnee, Illinois scheduled an earlier daytime window, 2 to 5 p.m., and police departments from Boston to Los Angeles have issued the usual reminders: travel in groups, stick to well-lit streets, and have an adult inspect candy before it's eaten.
A SPENDING PRIORITY, APPROACHED WITH AFFORDABILITY IN MIND
Retailers have leaned into the record projections with extended seasonal aisles and earlier markdowns than in past years, hoping to capture shoppers who, polling suggests, are stretching dollars further across costumes, candy and home decor rather than cutting back on any single category. Pumpkin patches and costume shops in several markets reported brisk weekend traffic heading into the holiday's final push.
With the count already in from NRF's pre-season survey, the next data point retailers will watch is how actual receipts compare once the holiday weekend wraps — a readout that typically arrives in the first full week of November and will show whether this year's record projection held up at the register.