Halloween is getting bigger, and so is the price tag.
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year as shoppers stock up on costumes, candy and decorations.
The estimate comes from the National Retail Federation’s annual Halloween survey, conducted with Prosper Insights & Analytics. The projected spending tops last year’s record of $13.1 billion.
About 74% of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this year, with the average person expected to spend $115.14 on the holiday.
Candy remains a Halloween staple, but costumes and decorations are expected to account for even more spending. Costumes are projected to bring in $4.4 billion, followed by decorations at $4.3 billion and candy at $4.1 billion.
Classic Halloween characters are still popular, according to the survey.
Among adults, witches are the most popular costume choice, with an estimated 4.8 million people planning to dress up as one. Vampires come in second, followed by Batman, Spider-Man and ghosts.
For children, Spider-Man tops the list, followed by other superheroes, princesses, witches and ghosts.
Pets are getting in on the fun, too. Americans are expected to spend about $920 million on pet costumes, with pumpkins, hot dogs and ghosts among the popular choices.
While Halloween excitement remains high, consumers are keeping their budgets in mind.
Nearly half of shoppers, 49%, plan to start shopping in September or earlier. Some are looking to spread out expenses, while others want to take advantage of sales and promotions.
If prices are higher than expected, 31% of shoppers say they will compare prices, while 26% plan to look for coupons or sales. Another 34% intend to buy items they can reuse in future years.
Discount stores remain the most popular place to shop for Halloween, followed by specialty costume stores and online retailers.
And here’s a modern twist: nearly half of consumers, 47%, said they plan to use artificial intelligence tools to help with Halloween shopping, whether they’re brainstorming costume ideas or looking for decorating inspiration.
The NRF surveyed 7,889 consumers from Sept. 1-9 for its 2026 report.
With costumes, candy and creepy decorations on shopping lists, Halloween is shaping up to be a big spending season, even as shoppers look for ways to keep costs under control.
