Halloween is one of the most looked-forward-to nights of the year. Between the costumes, decorations, and the sugar rush, Halloween night brings neighborhoods to life all across the country.
And it’s not just kids that look forward to it: parents on Nextdoor prefer it to almost every other major holiday, including Valentine’s Day (65%), the 4th of July (58%), New Year’s Eve (54%), and Thanksgiving (52%). Forty percent even prefer Halloween to Christmas.
So it’s no surprise that virtually all (97%) Nextdoor users — known as neighbors — who are parents will take part in Halloween celebrations this year. They’ll be trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods (82%) or another area (71%), dressing their pet in a costume (78%), or attending/hosting an event like a “trunk-or-treat” (72%) or a Halloween party (71%).
Read on to find out how they’re planning for the big night, how they’re prioritizing their childrens’ safety, and the most important insight: which candy is the most popular.
Three in four neighbors will start Halloween preparations at least two weeks in advance, with almost half (41%) of neighbors beginning two to four weeks before the holiday. But parents on Nextdoor are 15% more likely than the average neighbor to start their preparations over a month before Halloween night.
What are they buying and how much are they spending? All neighbors, whether they’re parents or not, expect to spend an average of $277 on Halloween purchases, which is 29% more than the average consumer. That breaks down to $107 on costumes (30% more than the average consumer), $94 on decorations (27% more than the average consumer), and $76 on candy ($29% more than the average consumer).
When it comes to where neighbors are purchasing supplies, neighbors are choosing to shop both in-store and online (52%) at multiple retailers. The vast majority (71%) will turn to a big-box store, while over half will visit an online marketplace (56%) or specialty Halloween store (53%) for their items. If you look at only parents on Nextdoor, however, they’re 18% more likely than the average neighbor to prefer online shopping.
While Halloween can be a fun, carefree night for kids, parents on Nextdoor want to make sure it’s also a safe one. Eighty-five percent of Nextdoor’s parents will ensure their children go trick-or-treating with an adult. Over three-quarters (77%) will also have their child carry a flashlight or glow stick for safety, inspect their bag of treats (72%), and establish a trick-or-treating route ahead of time/check-in with their kid throughout the night (63%).
Safety in the dark is top of mind, as most trick-or-treaters will venture out between 6 and 7 pm (46%) or between 7 and 8 pm (25%). Only 5% of neighbors who plan to trick-or-treat will begin after 8 pm, and an even smaller percentage (3%) will begin before 5 pm.
Most neighbors plan to personally hand out candy to trick-or-treaters (62%), while 15% will leave a bowl of candy out instead. Five percent of neighbors won’t pass out candy at all, and 18% will get into the spirit of Halloween, opting to hand out candy using a “creative” method.
On the spookiest night of the year, 65% of neighbors are planning to order takeout for dinner — that’s 10% more than the general population. Pizza is the most popular choice (39%), followed by American food (22%). In fact, neighbors are 29% more likely to order American food than the average adult. Other cuisines on the menu include Chinese or Thai (11%), Mexican (9%), and sushi (6%).
But it’s all leading up to the reason for the season: the candy. Reese’s are neighbors’ favorite Halloween candy (19%), but Kit Kat and Snickers are a close second (16%). The runners-up for preferred confectionery treat are M&Ms (14%), and Hershey’s and Twix (9%). And neighbors’ preferences stray from the general population: they favor Snickers 14% more and Twix 29% more.
It’s rare that all Halloween candy gets eaten in one night, so what do neighbors do with the leftovers? Thirty-nine percent are saving it for themselves, while 27% are saving it for their child or children. Fourteen percent will save it for the future or will donate it, and 5% are getting the temptation out of the house — they plan to throw it away.
Between putting up decorations, costume prep, and candy buying, there’s a lot to do before Halloween. That’s why parents on Nextdoor are leveraging the platform to make it easier.
Over half of parents (55%) will use Nextdoor to find information on local events, 46% will share or read safety tips to ensure a safe night for their kids, 46% will also get decoration ideas, and 44% will buy or sell Halloween items.
In short, Nextdoor is where parents will be this Halloween, and if you’re a business owner, that’s where you should be, too. Connect with over 90 million verified neighbors to help them make this the best Halloween ever.