Halloween can be scary, and that can include terrifying your wallet with everything you spend on a spooky, spooky holiday.
There are many fall family activities, like hayrides and festivals, that cost money. You also need to find the best pumpkins to decorate your porch. And then of course, there’s the candy you need to buy, whether it’s your current favorite Halloween treats or the nostalgic candies that were most popular when you were a kid.
But spending money on candy can be bittersweet. You might like to give it away, but stockpiling will cost you. So, which states are spending the most? Solitaired looked at the receipts and found that these states spent the most on trick-or-treating.
East Coast leads in candy spending
The East Coast spends the most money per capita when it comes to buying candy for treats.
Maryland leads all states in spending an average of $67.95 per capita on candy. That’s a lot of candy, or maybe just enough if you’re one of the houses that hands out full-size candy bars. Maryland residents can also hand out candy from one of the state’s best-known candy companies. Goetze’s Candy Company, headquartered in Baltimore, makes caramel creams and cow tails.
West Virginians landed in second place after spending an average of $61.32 on Halloween candy to share with treats. The survey also found that the state was the most generous in the United States when it came to spending on candy, handing out full-size candy bars, participating in trick-or-treating, and more. In fact, the survey found that 88 percent of West Virginia residents said they plan to hand out candy for trick-or-treating purposes.
In third place, Pennsylvania got just under $60, averaging $59.35 per capita. One reason for the state’s generosity could be its deep connection to candy. The Hershey Company’s headquarters is in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the chocolate-themed Hersheypark amusement park is also in the state. Just Born is also headquartered in the state and includes candy brands like Mike and Ike, Hot Tamales and Peeps Marshmallows.
The Midwest and South also perform well among the top 10 spending states per capita. Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana all made the list, while Indiana, Illinois and Michigan rounded out the top 10.
The 10 states that spent the most money on average per capita are:
1.Maryland: $67.95
2. West Virginia: $61.32
3. Pennsylvania: $59.35
4. Mississippi: $59.32
5. Indiana: $59.14
6. Illinois: $58.12
7.Michigan: $57.78
8. Texas: $56.88
9. Oklahoma: $56.78
10. Louisiana: $55.85
Halloween candy in the United States
How does candy spending by state compare to the national average? According to data from Solitaired, the average American spends about $49.19 on Halloween candy to hand out, or perhaps just getting pieces. That puts the average American on par with South Carolina, which spends $48.93 per capita on candy.
As for treats, they probably don’t care how much you spend on average Halloween candy, as long as you have a bowl of sugary treats when they come knocking at your door. The good news is that 79% of Americans typically hand out Halloween candy each year and expect about 42 treats on their doorstep.
And yes, it might get expensive to give away candy to all that candy, but some residents still want to make sure they have good things to give away. About 55% of Americans surveyed in Solitaired’s survey said they want to be known as a “good candy store” for Halloween.
More state-by-state data:
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