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Every State’s Favorite Halloween Costume, Mapped

Is your state’s favorite Halloween costume one you’ve worn before?
ByLogan DeLoye
Gemini Notebook

Halloween is quickly approaching, and every October the United States readies for trick-or-treaters, ghoulish gatherings, spooky-themed bashes, and monster mashes (even though we’re still not quite sure how to do the dance). 

In 2026, partygoers are expected to follow celebrity trends and the most popular series characters, like JLo and Maverick from Amazon Prime's Off Campus, the recently deceased (and always iconic) Dolly Parton, and Bad Bunny's Super Bowl shrubs.

Many get creative, dressing up as their favorite viral pop culture moments, idols, and cartoon or video game characters. Others stick with the classic ghosts, pumpkins, and vampires, just as people did 100 years ago.

Perhaps you've worn a few of these costumes before, dressed your children in them, or recommended them to a friend. If not, a handful of these ideas might inspire your own spooky look for 2026. 

Some of these spooktacular Halloween costumes may seem generic, but they're timeless and make a great backup if another idea or group costume falls through. Outfits like princess and dinosaur offer variety: there’s more than one princess to dress like, and countless dinosaur species to choose from.

DRACULA'S DATA

Children in Halloween costumes holding hands
Children in Halloween costumes holding hands | Jupiterimages/GettyImages

To find out which classic Halloween costumes were most popular in each state, Chicco analyzed Google Trends data from the past 12 months for 35 classic costumes, using search interest to measure popularity. The result? An entire country embracing spooky season and all its haunted festivities. 

Mermaid costumes appeared most frequently on the map, topping the list in seven states. Dinosaur, bat, monster, skeleton, princess, angel, and alien were closely behind. Coastal states favored mermaids, while the Midwest gravitated toward dinosaurs.

A few costumes were specific to just one or two states, like robot, fairy, superhero, police officer, ninja, genie, knight, devil, and even candy corn!

Are you ready to unmask your state's favorite classic Halloween costume? 

THE UNITED STATES OF CLASSIC HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

Chicco
Chicco

Alabama

Dinosaur

Alaska

Bat

Arizona

Ninja

Arkansas

Pumpkin

California

Princess

Colorado

Bat

Connecticut

Mermaid

Delaware

Devil

Florida

Mermaid

Georgia

Vampire

Hawaii

Mermaid

Idaho

Dinosaur

Illinois

Skeleton

Indiana

Monster

Iowa

Dinosaur

Kansas

Genie

Kentucky

Monster

Louisiana

Mermaid

Maine

Skeleton

Maryland

Angel

Massachusetts

Mermaid

Michigan

Monster

Minnesota

Dinosaur

Mississippi

Superhero

Missouri

Alien

Montana

Knight

Nebraska

Dinosaur

Nevada

Angel

New Hampshire

Robot

New Jersey

Mermaid

New Mexico

Alien

New York

Mermaid

North Carolina

Alien

North Dakota

Dinosaur

Ohio

Bat

Oklahoma

Candy Corn

Oregon

Bat

Pennsylvania

Bat

Rhode Island

Skeleton

South Carolina

Superhero

South Dakota

Doctor

Tennessee

Princess

Texas

Princess

Utah

Witch

Vermont

Fairy

Virginia

Vampire

Washington

Bat

West Virginia

Monster

Wisconsin

Pumpkin

Wyoming

Angel

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