Halloween has quietly become one of the more reliable barometers of consumer mood, and this year's reading is upbeat: the National Retail Federation's annual survey, conducted with Prosper Insights & Analytics, projects Americans will spend $13.5 billion on the holiday, edging past last year's record of $13.1 billion.
The survey of nearly 7,900 consumers, fielded in early September, puts average per-person spending at $115.14, up slightly from $114.45 last year. Costumes, candy and decorations make up the bulk of that spending, but the category drawing outsized attention this year is pets: Americans plan to spend $920 million dressing up their dogs and cats, up from $860 million in 2025.
The top pet costume choices skew unambitious but reliable: a pumpkin (11.6%), a hot dog (5.9%) and a ghost (2.8%) lead the pack, according to NRF's breakdown. Humans aren't much more adventurous — witch tops the adult list, with vampire, Batman, Spider-Man and ghost rounding out the top five, while superhero, princess and witch costumes dominate for kids.
Consumers continue to make Halloween a spending priority.
Allison Zeller, NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights
Zeller noted shoppers are still watching their budgets even as overall spending climbs, a pattern retailers have seen across holidays this year. Prosper's Phil Rist added a modern wrinkle to the shopping ritual, noting a growing number of consumers now say they're using AI tools to brainstorm costume ideas and decorating themes before they ever set foot in a store.
The NRF survey has tracked Halloween spending since 2005, and this year's total would mark a second consecutive record if it holds through the month. Retailers have leaned into the holiday's growing reach beyond candy and costumes, with decorations and greeting cards both forecast to grow faster than the category overall — a sign that what was once a one-night, kid-focused holiday has become a multi-week seasonal event for adults, too, pets very much included.