Americans plan to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, up from last year’s record $13.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Per-person spending is nearly flat at $115.14, and shoppers say they plan to comparison shop, look for coupons, and reuse items to stretch their budgets.
Key Takeaways
- Average per-person Halloween spending is projected at $115.14, up less than 1% from $114.45 in 2025.
- About 49% of consumers planned to start Halloween shopping in September or earlier, up from 34% in 2016.
- Nearly half of consumers (47%) are using AI platforms and tools for Halloween shopping, mostly for brainstorming ideas and product research.
- The share of shoppers planning to buy from local and small businesses rose to 13%, nearly double the 7% recorded in 2016.
- About 74% of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween in 2026, compared with 68% before the pandemic in 2019.
- Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, October 31, 2026.
Total Spending Rises While Per-Person Budgets Hold Steady
The headline number suggests strength, but the per-person data shows caution. Total Halloween spending is projected to grow about 3% year over year, from $13.1 billion to $13.5 billion. Average spending per person, however, rose only $0.69, from $114.45 to $115.14.
That gap points to where growth is coming from. Participation is steady, with 74% of consumers planning to celebrate compared with 73% last year. Individual budgets are barely moving. In real terms, a per-person increase of less than 1% trails the pace of price growth across the economy, which means many households are buying the same amount or less at higher prices.
NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Allison Zeller said consumers continue to make Halloween a spending priority, while approaching the season with affordability in mind and looking for ways to get the most value.
Value-Seeking Behavior Shapes the Shopping Season
The National Retail Federation’s survey shows shoppers planning ahead to protect their budgets. If they run into higher-than-expected prices, 31% of consumers say they will comparison shop and 26% say they will look for coupons or sales. Another 34% plan to buy items they can reuse in future years or repurpose for other occasions.
Reuse is the most notable of these. When a third of shoppers prioritize decorations and costumes that last beyond one season, retailers face pressure to offer more durable, multi-use products. It also suggests some future spending may shift from repeat purchases to occasional upgrades.
Early Shoppers Spread Out Their Budgets
Halloween has grown from a single day into a full season. About half of consumers (49%) planned to start shopping in September or earlier, compared with 34% a decade ago. Among those early shoppers, 23% said they bought early to spread out their budgets, and 21% said prices and promotions were too good to pass up.
For retailers, that longer season changes inventory and promotion planning. Demand that once concentrated in late October now spreads across six or more weeks. That rewards businesses that stock early and pace their markdowns.
Costumes, Decorations, and Candy Lead Category Spending
Category spending is fairly evenly split across three main groups:
- Costumes: $4.4 billion, with 71% of shoppers buying. That includes $2 billion on adult costumes and $1.5 billion on children’s costumes.
- Decorations: $4.3 billion, with 78% of shoppers buying.
- Candy: $4.1 billion, with 96% of shoppers buying, the most common purchase.
- Greeting cards: $0.8 billion, with planned purchases rising to 42% from 38% in 2025.
Spending on pet costumes is projected at $0.92 billion, up from $0.86 billion last year. The steady increase reflects the growing share of household spending that goes to pets.
AI Tools Enter the Halloween Shopping Journey
Nearly half of consumers (47%) are using AI platforms and tools to plan their Halloween shopping, according to the National Retail Federation. The most common uses are brainstorming ideas during planning, cited by 34%, and asking for recommendations during product research, cited by 32%.
At the same time, traditional online search is losing ground as a source of inspiration. Online searches remain the top source of costume ideas at 32%, but that is down from 37% last year and is the lowest level in a decade. Retail stores and costume shops rank second for costume inspiration at 26% and first for decorations at 31%.
Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics, said AI is becoming a common part of the shopping process, with consumers using the tools to brainstorm costumes and decorating themes and find inspiration.
For retailers and small businesses, the shift has practical consequences. How products appear in AI-generated recommendations may increasingly matter as much as search rankings did in past seasons.
Small Businesses Gain Share of Halloween Shoppers
Discount stores remain the top destination for Halloween purchases at 39%, followed by specialty Halloween and costume stores at 32% and online retailers at 27%. The most notable trend for entrepreneurs is the rise in local shopping. The 13% of consumers who plan to shop at local and small businesses is nearly double the 7% in 2016.
That growth gives independent retailers, costume shops, and local makers a measurable opening. Shoppers looking for something distinctive or reusable are increasingly willing to look beyond large chains.
The National Retail Federation has run its Halloween survey since 2005. The 2026 survey of 7,889 consumers was conducted September 1 to 9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on findings from the National Retail Federation’s 2026 Halloween Consumer Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Spending figures and consumer intentions are survey-based estimates and may differ from actual consumer spending. Individual shopping behavior, prices, and retail conditions may vary. Readers should consider the survey’s methodology and margin of error when interpreting the results.
FAQs
How much will Americans spend on Halloween in 2026?
Americans are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, according to the National Retail Federation. That is up from the record $13.1 billion spent in 2025.
How much does the average person spend on Halloween?
The average consumer plans to spend $115.14 on Halloween in 2026, compared with $114.45 in 2025.
What do people spend the most on for Halloween?
Costumes lead Halloween spending at $4.4 billion, followed by decorations at $4.3 billion and candy at $4.1 billion. Candy is the most common purchase, with 96% of shoppers buying it.
How many people use AI for Halloween shopping?
Nearly half of consumers (47%) are using AI platforms and tools for Halloween shopping in 2026. The most common uses are brainstorming ideas and researching products.
When do most people start Halloween shopping?
About 49% of consumers planned to start Halloween shopping in September or earlier, up from 34% in 2016.
