The States That Spend the Most on Halloween Candy, Ranked

Halloween can be frightening, and that can include terrifying your wallet with how much you spend on the spooky, scary holiday.

There are plenty of family fall activities like hayrides and festivals that cost money. You also have to find the best pumpkins to decorate your front porch. And then of course, there's the candy you have to buy, whether it's your current favorite Halloween treats or the nostalgic candy that was most popular when you were a kid.

But spending money on candy can be sweet or sour. You may love giving it out, but stocking up will cost you. So which states spend the most? Solitaired reviewed the receipts and found that these states spend the most when it comes to trick-or-treating.

East Coast leads candy spending

The East Coast spends the most money per resident when it comes to buying candy for trick-or-treaters.

Maryland led all states by spending $67.95 on average per resident 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 $61.32 on average for Halloween candy to share with trick-or-treaters. The survey also found the state was the most generous in the U.S. 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% of West Virginia residents said they planned to hand out candy for trick-or-treating.

In third place, Pennsylvania came in just under $60 at $59.35 on average per resident. One reason for the state's generosity may be its deep connection to candy. The headquarters for the Hershey Company are 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 had strong showings among the top 10 states that spend the most per resident. 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 resident include:

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 U.S.

How does spending on candy by state compare to the national average? According to the data from Solitaired, the average American spends around $49.19 on Halloween candy to hand out—or maybe just sneak pieces for themselves. That puts the average American on par with South Carolina, which spends $48.93 per resident on candy.

As for trick-or-treaters, they probably don't care how much you spend on Halloween candy on average as long as you have a bowl of sweet treats when they knock on your door. The good news is that 79% of Americans usually hand out Halloween candy each year and expect around 42 trick-or-treaters at their door.

And yes, it could get expensive to give out candy to all those trick-or-treaters, but some residents still want to make sure they have good stuff to give out. Around 55% of Americans in Solitaired's survey said they wanted to be known as a "good candy house" for Halloween.

More State-By-State Data: