If you want to celebrate Halloween in true spooky style this year, pack your costume and head to New York City, officially crowned the best city in America for Halloween, according to WalletHub’s 2025 Best Cities for Halloween report.
With total Halloween spending expected to hit a record $13.1 billion this year, WalletHub analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities across 20 factors, from the number of candy and costume shops to safety, walkability, and trick-or-treat potential.
The Big Apple leads the pack with the most candy stores per capita, second-most costume shops, and residents who search for “Halloween parties” more than any other city in the nation. Add in its high population density and walkability, and you’ve got a trick-or-treater’s paradise. Movie lovers will find plenty to do, too: New York ranks second in movie theaters per capita and offers no shortage of haunted houses and amusement parks to keep the chills going.
Coming in second is Jersey City, New Jersey, which combines walkability and safety for an ideal family-friendly Halloween. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and a surprising number of movie theaters for those who prefer jump scares from the big screen.
In third place is Los Angeles, California, where endless pumpkin patches, costume shops, and party supply stores make prepping for Halloween a breeze. With the most movie theaters per capita and sixth-most haunted houses, L.A. puts the West Coast on the map when it comes to spooky season fun.
The top 20 cities for Halloween
- New York, New York
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Los Angeles, California
- Chicago, Illinois
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Miami, Florida
- Anaheim, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Newark, New Jersey
- Orlando, Florida
- San Diego, California
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Washington, DC
- Laredo, Texas
- San Francisco, California
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Hialeah, Florida
- San Jose, California
