Best Cities for Trick-or-Treating This Halloween
See where to score sweets and more this Halloween
The leaves are changing colors as we fall into the Autumn season, and Halloween is fast approaching! Whether you’re still working on your costume, or have had it ready for weeks, it’s almost time to trick-or-treat. With that in mind, KURU Footwear has compiled a list of the best cities in each state for trick-or-treating to help you and the family get ready to celebrate!
Which States Have the Most Halloween Spirit?
What’s the state of Halloween in your state? If your home is on this list, you can expect plenty of Halloween spirit (but hopefully no vengeful spirits!). We took a look at Google Trends for search volume around Halloween terms, and it turns out New Hampshire has the most Halloween Spirit in the U.S. Indiana and Michigan come in at No. 2 and No. 3, while Wisconsin and Ohio round out the Top 5. See the list below to see if your state made the Top 10!
The Best Cities To Trick-or-Treat In by State
If you’re more interested in candy than Halloween spirit, we have the scoop for you! We analyzed a variety of data sources to determine the best cities for trick-or-treating in every state (except for Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii where that data wasn’t available), so you can make the best use of your time come Halloween night. Use the table of contents to jump to your state, or start scrolling to see the lists!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Arizona
No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. It’s no illusion: El Mirage is the best city in Arizona for trick-or-treating. In fact, the majority of the top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Arizona are in the same general area, clustered around Phoenix. Check out the table for the complete, ranked list!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Arkansas
If your haunted happenings take you to Bethel Heights, you can expect a Halloween haul! According to our data, that’s the best city for Trick-or-treating in Arkansas. Siloam Springs and Bentonville round out the top three, see the table below for the complete list.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in California
Candy corn can be controversial, but in California they like to chow down. According to Brach’s, the Golden State purchases more Candy Corn than any other state. If you’re looking to fill up your candy sack with this multi-colored snack: see the list below to plan your trick-or-treating route.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Colorado
The horror movie star shines bright in Colorado, which is where they filmed the classic film The Shining. Speaking of movies, you’d have to be dumb or even dumber to skip out on the top trick-or-treating town: Aspen. See the chart for the complete list for Colorado.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Connecticut
Hartford may be the capital of Connecticut, but the candy crown goes to Bridgeport. The capital itself comes in at No. 7 while spots 8 and 9 go to old names made fresh: New Britain and New London.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Delaware
Halloween is the best time to be well-aware to avoid a candy-scare in Delaware. Elsmere, Wilmington and Newark take the top three spots in the First State.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Florida
Life’s a beach in Florida! Four of the top 10 cities have the word “beach” in their name, and most of the others happen to be near the water. It’s the perfect place to embrace your mermaid or sailor costume and set out on a voyage for sweets.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Georgia
Georgia is home to a whole horde of horrors! Um, horror movies that is. This Hollywood-friendly Halloween haven has hosted movies like Scream 2, Halloween II, both Zombieland movies and more! Tricks aside, check out the table below for where to find the best treats in Georgia this Halloween.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Idaho
Just because they love spuds doesn’t make Idaho the land of candy duds! (OK, maybe Milk Duds). See the chart below for the best cities in Idaho for harvesting Halloween hauls.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating Illinois
Whether you want to carve a pumpkin or be a-maze-d by an agricultural adventure, Illinois may be the place. Not only do they produce more pumpkins here than any other state, but Richardson Adventure Farm is home to the largest corn maze! Don’t get lost looking for candy this year, check out our list of the best towns for trick-or-treating in Illinois.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Indiana
The Hoosier State is ranked No. 2 for Halloween Spirit in the nation, so if you’re planning to get spooky this season in Indiana you should have plenty of company! And maybe you can find some caramels in Carmel, which is No. 2 for trick-or-treating in Indiana. Check out the list for the rest of the Top 10!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Iowa
We love corny jokes as much as anyone, so lend us an ear! When it comes to husks, Iowa leaves us all in the dust. They grow more corn there than anyone else, so they have plenty of maize for each maze. But if you want candy corn instead of the organic stuff, scope out the list below for the best towns to trick-or-treat in.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Kansas
Dorothy may have soon realized she wasn’t in Kansas anymore, but if you find yourself there this Halloween there’s no place for trick-or-treating like home. Prairie Village is the best town to collect candy in, followed by Merriam and Leawood. Did your town make the list? See the chart for the Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Kentucky
The Bluegrass State has the seventh most Halloween spirit in the U.S., so you could say the spooky season’s star shines bright in this old Kentucky home. If you’re looking for the best towns to trick-or-treat in, look no further than our Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Louisiana
If you’re after sweet snacks in Louisiana this Halloween, why not go for a baker’s dozen in Baker? Baker is ranked No. 1 for trick-or-treating in the Bayou State, followed by Zachary and Port Allen.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Maine
A story about a creepy clown is set in Maine, but the “It” place to trick-or-treat in the Pine Tree State this Halloween is Portland, followed by South Portland. Check out the data below for the rest of the It list for Maine so you can be King of candy come October 31.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Maryland
Apparently they love to get spooky in Maryland, and there’s nothing new about it! Maryland was among the first U.S. colonies to celebrate Halloween. If you’re celebrating these days, the list below may help! Check out the 10 best cities for trick-or-treating in Maryland below!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Massachusetts
The Salem witch trials had a major impact on how we celebrate the season and think of witches, but this historic Halloween town doesn’t make the list for Massachusetts when it comes to trick-or-treating. Probably too many poison apples. See below for our list of the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Massachusetts.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Michigan
Michigan has Halloween spirit by the lake-load. The Great Lake State has the third most Halloween spirit of any state. See the list below for the top 10 places to cash in on that spooky vibe this trick-or-treat season.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Minnesota
Minnesota makes its mark on Halloween every year. Frank C. Mars–inventor of the Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers and other candy bars– was born here. If you’re looking to taste plenty of his inventions this season, check out the list below for the best cities to trick-or-treat in.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Mississippi
If you want the candy to flow as wide as the Mississippi River on Halloween, try trick or treating in places like Madison, Ridgeland or Ocean Springs. Those are the three best cities for trick or treating in Mississippi—check out the chart for the rest of the Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Missouri
Candy seekers might want to set their sights on Jackson come Halloween, that’s the best city for trick-or-treating in Missouri. Check out the list below for other great cities to amass a candy stash!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Montana
You might walk a mile or more this Halloween in your search for sugar, and in Montana that mile might be in Miles City. That’s the 5th best city for trick-or-treating in Big Sky Country. Scope out the rest of the Top 10 in the list below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Nebraska
Children of the Corn may be set in Nebraska, but children in search of candy corn this Halloween should check out Ralston, Imperial or West Point for the optimal trick-or-treat harvest. See the graphic for the rest of the Top 10 best cities for trick-or-treating in Nebraska.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Nevada
Halloween isn’t just an excuse to quest for candy in Nevada, it’s also a historic day for the state. Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864—Nevada Day is celebrated on October 28 though! Check out the list below for the best cities for trick-or-treating in Nevada.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in New Hampshire
If you love Halloween you may find yourself feeling at home in New Hampshire. They are ranked No. 1 on our list for Halloween Spirit! Get in the spirit of things with these eight cities primed for trick-or-treaters this October 31.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in New Jersey
Friday the 13th’s Camp Crystal Lake is in New Jersey, so grab your Jason mask and foam machete and head out for some Halloween treats. You might find good hunting in West New York, Union City and Guttenberg. Check out the rest of the list for the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in New Jersey.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in New Mexico
When it comes to dessert in the desert, cities like Los Alamos are likely serving it up this Halloween. That’s the No. 1 city for trick-or-treating in New Mexico, followed by Artesia and Bayard. See the rest of the Top 10 in the chart below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in New York
New York City might be the Big Apple, but if you like candy apples and other sweets you may want to trick-or-treat on other streets. Mount Vernon is ranked the best city for trick-or-treating in New York, with Yonkers and Long Beach rounding out the top 3. We’ve got the rest of the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in New York in the list below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in North Carolina
If you’re rocking the red pitchfork look for Halloween this year, maybe steer clear of Kill Devil Hills North Carolina. Otherwise it’s the No. 1 spot for trick-or-treating in North Carolina, check out the list below for the rest of the Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in North Dakota
We try not to be cavalier about candy here, but we can’t help it when it comes to North Dakota. Cavalier is the No. 4 city for trick-or-treating in The Peace Garden State. Check out the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in North Dakota below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Ohio
Ohio has more haunted houses than any other state, according to one report, so if you like scares it’s the place to be! Speaking of places to be this Halloween, check out the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Ohio below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Oklahoma
Why settle for just OK this Halloween when you could have great trick-or-treating? We’ve compiled the 10 best cities for trick-or-treating in the Sooner State, see the list below to know where to go!
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Oregon
King City is the king of Halloween candy. Or at least King City is ranked No. 1 on our list of the best cities for trick-or-treating in Oregon. Check out the chart below for the rest of the Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania produces more chocolate than any other state, which makes sense because it’s the home of both the Wilbur Chocolate Company and the Hershey Company. If you want some chocolate of your own this fall, check out our list of the 10 best cities for trick-or-treating in Pennsylvania this Halloween.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Rhode Island
Providence will provide, and that’s not an aphorism! Providence is the fourth best city for trick-or-treating in Rhode Island. Scope the list below for the rest of the Top 10.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in South Carolina
Mount Pleasant seems like a pleasant place for candy lovers: It’s the No. 1 city for trick-or-treating in South Carolina. See our list below for the rest of the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in South Carolina.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in South Dakota
We want to spill the tea when it comes to the best places to trick-or-treat in every state, and in South Dakota that means pointing you toward Tea, which is the 5th best city in the state for trick-or-treating. See the rest of the Top 10 in the list below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Tennessee
That is ten, I see. Ten cities good for trick-or-treating in the state of Tennessee, we mean. Franklin is in the top spot, but check out the chart below for the complete list.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and if you want your candy bag to be bigger and better you might want to set your sights on Stratford, Eastland or Cisco. Those are the Top 3 cities for trick or treating in the Lone Star State.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Utah
Utahns sure have a sweet tooth, at least according to one study that found folks in the Beehive State purchase candy at the highest rate in the nation. If you want to satisfy your sugar craving, try out one of these Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Utah.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Vermont
Trick-or-treaters in Vermont may want to treat themselves to a visit to Bellows Falls, because that’s ranked No. 1 for trick-or-treating. If that’s too far away, check out one of the other cities on our Top 10 list.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Virginia
A land rich and ripe for a Halloween harvest seems to be Richlands Virginia. The city is ranked No. 1 for trick-or-treating, see the rest of the Top 10 for Virginia in the chart below.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Washington
Trick-or-treaters in the Evergreen State should check out cities like Des Moines, Shoreline and Maple Valley. Check out our list for the rest of the Top 10 trick-or-treating cities in Oregon.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in West Virginia
Jack-o’-lantern’s shine bright in West Virginia every Halloween! The Kenova Pumpkin House hosts a display of 3,000 carved and illuminated pumpkins every year. However, if you like candy better than pumpkins, maybe check out our list of the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in West Virginia.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Wisconsin
They take Halloween very seriously in the Badger State! Wisconsin is ranked No. 4 overall for Halloween Spirit. Check out our list of the top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Wisconsin if you hope to convert that seasonal spirit into a candy collection.
The Best Cities For Trick-or-Treating in Wyoming
If you’re in Wyoming and you think Halloween rocks, try out Rock Springs for trick-or-treating this year. The city tops our list of towns, followed by Green River and Powell. See our list below for the rest of the Top 10 cities for trick-or-treating in Wyoming.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best cities for trick-or-treating in your state may help you collect candy more efficiently, but you’re still likely to do plenty of walking even if you find the best neighborhoods! According to one study, the average trick-or-treater walks about 1.25 miles—and that sometimes comes after a full day of work or play. Make sure you’re ready to keep up with the kids with supportive, comfortable footwear!
Methodology and Sources
KURU Footwear determined the best cities for trick-or-treating by analyzing historic Google Trends search volume for terms related to trick-or-treating, population density, median income, and FBI crime report statistics.
Cities that do not report crime to the FBI, or that fell below our baseline population density threshold, were excluded.
There are three states that have been excluded from our report due to incomplete or insufficient data. (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii).
Ranking the Cities
Cities in each state were given a “trick-or-treating” score based on the following:
- Population Density
- Median Income (by County)
- FBI Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
- Historic Google Trends Search Volume for the terms “trick-or-treating”, “Halloween candy”, and “Halloween” by DMA (domestic market area)
We used population density data to infer cities that likely have a high number of households to trick-or-treat at, median income to determine whether the city’s residents may opt for more expensive or full-size candy, FBI crime data to determine city safety, and Google Trends Search volume to determine which cities are likely to participate in Halloween festivities.
Each data point was weighed evenly, representing 25% of the final score. These scores were then normalized on a scale of 0-100 to determine the top cities for trick-or-treating in each state.
In each case, the most recent available data was used in our analysis.
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