Are you hoping the neighborhood mischief-makers won’t “T.P.” your house on Halloween? Then maybe you should hand out the candies they actually like.
(NEXSTAR) – Are you hoping the neighborhood mischief-makers won’t “T.P.” your house on Halloween? Then maybe you should hand out the candies they actually like.
CandyStore.com, an online candy retailer specializing in wholesale and bulk orders, has sought to determine the “most popular” Halloween candies in the country based on the last 17 years of sales data (specifically sales per pound) from the months leading up to Halloween. The retailer also breaks down the results by state, to give a better understanding of the crowd-pleasing candies that even the most hardened Halloween hooligans would likely love.
“We’ve gathered the data to ensure you’re stocked with the most sought-after sweets,” Ben George, the marketing director of CandyStore.com, wrote in a blog post published earlier this month.
On a national level, there’s been somewhat of a shakeup in terms of our country’s candy preferences, at least when compared to previous years. The latest tallies suggest that M&M’s have overtaken Reese’s Cups as the nation’s preferred Halloween candy — overall — for the first time since the retailer has been keeping track.
“It seems the classic, colorful candy has finally taken the crown, possibly thanks to its endless flavor varieties and easy-to-eat nature,” George wrote.
The 10 “most popular” Halloween candies in America, according to CandyStore.com:
M&M’s
Reese’s Cups
Sour Patch Kids
Skittles
Starburst
Hot Tamales
Candy Corn
Hershey’s Kisses
Hershey’s Mini Bars
Butterfinger
The state-by-state data paints a slightly different picture when it comes to regional preferences. The nation’s overall favorites are still well-represented, of course, but some states seem to buck the trends in favor of candies that didn’t make the country’s top 10.
All of New Mexico’s top candy picks were in the country’s top 10 list.
The “most popular” Halloween candies by state, according to CandyStore.com:
StateTop Candy2nd Place3rd PlaceAlabamaSkittlesHershey’s Mini BarsStarburstAlaskaSour Patch KidsTwixMilky WayArkansasButterfingerJolly RanchersM&M’sArizonaHershey KissesSour Patch KidsM&M’sCaliforniaM&M’sReese’s CupsSkittlesColoradoHershey KissesMilky WayTwixConnecticutAlmond JoyMilky WayM&M’sDelawareSour Patch KidsSkittlesLife SaversWashington, D.C.M&M’sTootsie PopsBlow PopsFloridaReese’s CupsSkittlesHot TamalesGeorgiaJolly RanchersSwedish FishReese’s CupsHawaiiHershey’s Mini BarsButterfingerSkittlesIdahoSnickersStarburstCandy CornIllinoisSour Patch KidsKit KatStarburstIndianaStarburstHot TamalesJolly RanchersIowaM&M’sReese’s CupsHershey’s Mini BarsKansasM&M’sSour Patch KidsReese’s CupsKentuckyReese’s CupsHot TamalesSwedish FishLouisianaLemonheadsReese’s CupsSalt Water TaffyMaineSour Patch KidsCandy CornLife SaversMarylandCandy CornHershey’s Mini BarsHershey KissesMassachusettsButterfingerSour Patch KidsDubble Bubble GumMichiganStarburstCandy CornButterfingerMinnesotaHot TamalesTootsie PopsSkittlesMississippi3 MusketeersSnickersButterfingerMissouriAlmond JoyMilky WayHot TamalesMontanaTwixM&M’sDubble Bubble GumNebraskaSour Patch KidsSalt Water TaffyTwixNevadaHershey’s Mini BarsHot TamalesCandy CornNew HampshireReese’s CupsM&M’sAlmond JoyNew JerseyTootsie PopsM&M’sSkittlesNew MexicoHot TamalesCandy CornHershey’s Mini BarsNew YorkSour Patch KidsHot TamalesCandy CornNorth CarolinaM&M’sReese’s CupsHershey’s Mini BarsNorth DakotaHot TamalesCandy CornJolly RanchersOhioBlow PopsM&M’sStarburstOklahomaButterfingerDubble Bubble GumSkittlesOregonM&M’sReese’s CupsCandy CornPennsylvaniaM&M’sHershey’s Mini BarsSkittlesRhode IslandHershey’s Mini BarsM&M’sDubble Bubble GumSouth CarolinaButterfingerSour Patch KidsSkittlesSouth DakotaJolly RanchersStarburstCandy CornTennesseeSnickersTootsie PopsSkittlesTexasSour Patch KidsReese’s CupsStarburstUtahCandy CornTootsie PopsM&M’sVermontM&M’sSkittlesMilky WayVirginiaButterfingerM&M’sHot TamalesWashingtonM&M’sSalt Water TaffyTootsie PopsWest VirginiaHershey’s Mini BarsBlow PopsAlmond JoyWisconsinButterfingerHot TamalesStarburstWyomingReese’s CupsSalt Water TaffyDubble Bubble Gum
Another interesting tidbit for 2024: Due to rising prices for cocoa, some retailers are expecting to sell more gummy candies or fruity sweets rather than chocolatey ones, Reuters reported.
Despite this, there will likely be plenty of candy to go around. The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend $3.5 billion on Halloween candy this year — which is only a slight dip from the $3.6 billion spent in 2023.
More information, including an interactive map and additional statistics, can be found at CandyStore.com. Additional information on any recent upticks in TP sales in your neighborhood, meanwhile, may be available by contacting your local grocer.