HCA reports Halloween costumes remain popular among adults

The Halloween & Costume Association (HCA) highlights new data from Prosper Insights & Analytics, showing that Halloween continues to engage adults, with a growing number planning to dress up and celebrate in creative ways. Key findings include:

• 51% of adults who celebrate Halloween plan to dress in costume this year, with
• 32% dressing their pets in costume.
• 46% of adults Halloween costume wearers plan to throw or attend a Halloween party, while 54% plan to decorate their homes or yards.
• Halloween shopping starts early: 45% of these adults who dress up begin purchasing costumes in September, and 36% shop during the first two weeks of October.

Spending trends:

• These fun-loving adults plan to spend an average of $60.30 on costumes, $55.56 on decorations and $39.35 on candy, reflecting the continued enthusiasm for dressing up and creating festive experiences.
• Specialty Halloween/costume stores remain popular, with 46% of these adults planning to shop there, while 40% shop online.
• Since 2020, the percentage of adults celebrating Halloween has increased steadily, showing a resurgence and growing popularity post-COVID.

Demographic insights:

• Generational participation: Millennials (39.5%) and Gen Z (26.7%) are most likely to dress in costumes.
• Household composition: Adults in households with children under 18 show high engagement, with over 36% planning to take children trick-or-treating.
• Income distribution: Adults across income levels participate, with those in households earning $50,000–$99,999 representing the largest share of costume wearers.

HCA’s analysis of data from Prosper and the National Retail Federation (NRF) shows what an interesting group of humans these adults (who dress in costumes) are in their day-to-day life, not just on Halloween. As a group, they are more likely to be open to new experiences, more extroverted and enthusiastic, are more confident in the economy and are more likely to be impulsive with a “Live for Today” mindset. “This data shows that Halloween is a holiday that brings out the creativity and community spirit of adults, not just children,” said Michele Boylstein, HCA’s executive director. “From dressing up and decorating to attending parties and celebrating with pets, adults are embracing every aspect of Halloween. The steady increase in participation since 2020 shows that Halloween is stronger than ever.”