NewsNation

Which are the most popular Halloween candies in each state?

(NEXSTAR) — Are you hoping the neighborhood mischief-makers won’t “T.P.” your house on Halloween? Then maybe you should hand out the candies they actually like.

CandyStore.com, an online candy retailer specializing in wholesale and bulk orders, has sought to determine the “most popular” Halloween candies in the country based on the last 17 years of sales data (specifically sales per pound) from the months leading up to Halloween. The retailer also breaks down the results by state, to give a better understanding of the crowd-pleasing candies that even the most hardened Halloween hooligans would likely love.


“We’ve gathered the data to ensure you’re stocked with the most sought-after sweets,” Ben George, the marketing director of CandyStore.com, wrote in a blog post published earlier this month.

On a national level, there’s been somewhat of a shakeup in terms of our country’s candy preferences, at least when compared to previous years. The latest tallies suggest that M&M’s have overtaken Reese’s Cups as the nation’s preferred Halloween candy — overall — for the first time since the retailer has been keeping track.

“It seems the classic, colorful candy has finally taken the crown, possibly thanks to its endless flavor varieties and easy-to-eat nature,” George wrote.

The 10 “most popular” Halloween candies in America, according to CandyStore.com:

  1. M&M’s
  2. Reese’s Cups
  3. Sour Patch Kids
  4. Skittles
  5. Starburst
  6. Hot Tamales
  7. Candy Corn
  8. Hershey’s Kisses
  9. Hershey’s Mini Bars
  10. Butterfinger

The state-by-state data paints a slightly different picture when it comes to regional preferences. The nation’s overall favorites are still well-represented, of course, but some states seem to buck the trends in favor of candies that didn’t make the country’s top 10.

The “most popular” Halloween candies by state, according to CandyStore.com:

StateTop Candy2nd Place3rd Place
AlabamaSkittlesHershey’s Mini BarsStarburst
AlaskaSour Patch KidsTwixMilky Way
ArkansasButterfingerJolly RanchersM&M’s
ArizonaHershey KissesSour Patch KidsM&M’s
CaliforniaM&M’sReese’s CupsSkittles
ColoradoHershey KissesMilky WayTwix
ConnecticutAlmond JoyMilky WayM&M’s
DelawareSour Patch KidsSkittlesLife Savers
Washington, D.C.M&M’sTootsie PopsBlow Pops
FloridaReese’s CupsSkittlesHot Tamales
GeorgiaJolly RanchersSwedish FishReese’s Cups
HawaiiHershey’s Mini BarsButterfingerSkittles
IdahoSnickersStarburstCandy Corn
IllinoisSour Patch KidsKit KatStarburst
IndianaStarburstHot TamalesJolly Ranchers
IowaM&M’sReese’s CupsHershey’s Mini Bars
KansasM&M’sSour Patch KidsReese’s Cups
KentuckyReese’s CupsHot TamalesSwedish Fish
LouisianaLemonheadsReese’s CupsSalt Water Taffy
MaineSour Patch KidsCandy CornLife Savers
MarylandCandy CornHershey’s Mini BarsHershey Kisses
MassachusettsButterfingerSour Patch KidsDubble Bubble Gum
MichiganStarburstCandy CornButterfinger
MinnesotaHot TamalesTootsie PopsSkittles
Mississippi3 MusketeersSnickersButterfinger
MissouriAlmond JoyMilky WayHot Tamales
MontanaTwixM&M’sDubble Bubble Gum
NebraskaSour Patch KidsSalt Water TaffyTwix
NevadaHershey’s Mini BarsHot TamalesCandy Corn
New HampshireReese’s CupsM&M’sAlmond Joy
New JerseyTootsie PopsM&M’sSkittles
New MexicoHot TamalesCandy CornHershey’s Mini Bars
New YorkSour Patch KidsHot TamalesCandy Corn
North CarolinaM&M’sReese’s CupsHershey’s Mini Bars
North DakotaHot TamalesCandy CornJolly Ranchers
OhioBlow PopsM&M’sStarburst
OklahomaButterfingerDubble Bubble GumSkittles
OregonM&M’sReese’s CupsCandy Corn
PennsylvaniaM&M’sHershey’s Mini BarsSkittles
Rhode IslandHershey’s Mini BarsM&M’sDubble Bubble Gum
South CarolinaButterfingerSour Patch KidsSkittles
South DakotaJolly RanchersStarburstCandy Corn
TennesseeSnickersTootsie PopsSkittles
TexasSour Patch KidsReese’s CupsStarburst
UtahCandy CornTootsie PopsM&M’s
VermontM&M’sSkittlesMilky Way
VirginiaButterfingerM&M’sHot Tamales
WashingtonM&M’sSalt Water TaffyTootsie Pops
West VirginiaHershey’s Mini BarsBlow PopsAlmond Joy
WisconsinButterfingerHot TamalesStarburst
WyomingReese’s CupsSalt Water TaffyDubble Bubble Gum

Another interesting tidbit for 2024: Due to rising prices for cocoa, some retailers are expecting to sell more gummy candies or fruity sweets rather than chocolatey ones, Reuters reported.

Despite this, there will likely be plenty of candy to go around. The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend $3.5 billion on Halloween candy this year — which is only a slight dip from the $3.6 billion spent in 2023.

More information, including an interactive map and additional statistics, can be found at CandyStore.com. Additional information on any recent upticks in TP sales in your neighborhood, meanwhile, may be available by contacting your local grocer.