America’s Favorite Candies and the State of Trick-or-Treating

Halloween brings out the sights, sounds, and, most importantly, sweets we look forward to all year long. Porch lights glow orange and purple, costumes fill the streets, and kids race from house to house with pumpkin pails ready for a candy haul that they’ll try to eat before the night ends. It’s a tradition that feels familiar, but the details seem to shift a bit with every generation.

To see what that looks like today, we dug into search data for just the month of October over the past five years to find the most popular Halloween candy in every state. We also surveyed 1,000 parents of kids ages 5 to 13 to learn more about how families are trick-or-treating today. From the treats people crave to the way neighborhoods celebrate, we found out how Americans are keeping the holiday spirit alive.

The Most Popular Halloween Candy in Every State

Costumes, haunted houses, scary movies, the list of traditions we associate with Halloween is a long one. But we all know what the real star of the season is. It’s the candy bowl.

To find out what kids (and, let’s be honest, plenty of adults) are reaching for first, we analyzed search data from the past five Octobers to see which Halloween treats stand out in every state.

Here are some highlights:

M&M’s – most popular in 9 states

Loved all over the map, especially in the Midwest, M&M’s top the list in places like Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Their wide appeal checks out, as they’re among the most recognizable candies in the country, and the iconic characters have become seasonal staples, filling up both candy dishes and pumpkin pails as trick-or-treaters go door-to-door.

Sour Patch Kids – 6 states

“Sour, sweet, gone” rings truest in the Northeast, as Sour Patch Kids dominate in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Their popularity proves that plenty of kids are reaching for more than just chocolate on Halloween.

Nerds – 6 states

A standout in the West, Nerds lead in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Their bright colors and tangy crunch help them stand out among the other classics in our study. And with their popularity in places like Denver and Seattle, both known as growing tech hubs, it’s a reminder that sometimes, you really are what you eat.

Milk Duds – 3 states

A Southern U.S. favorite, Milk Duds are the most popular Halloween candy in Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. They bring a change of pace to any candy dish, with a chewy caramel bite best enjoyed with a dentist on call.

Crunch – 3 states

Nestle Crunch takes the top spot in Delaware, Iowa, and Kansas. Since its inception in 1938, when they changed the game by putting crisped rice in the chocolate, the classic bar has remained a top choice for satisfying that seasonal sweet tooth.

Candy preferences vary by region, but these timeless favorites keep showing up in Halloween buckets year after year. Next, we’ll shift from the candy itself to the traditions around it, exploring what parents told us about the state of trick-or-treating today.

The State of Trick-or-Treating

For families, Halloween night is as much about the experience as it is about the candy haul. Our survey of parents with kids ages 5 to 13 revealed just how central trick-or-treating remains in American traditions, and how those traditions are evolving.

The Anatomy of Trick-or-Treating Today 

Is trick-or-treating still popular?

• Participation is nearly universal. 92% of parents with children under 13 said their kids plan to go trick-or-treating this year.
• That number does drop with age. Only 83% of 12-year-olds plan to participate compared to 93% of those 5–10, suggesting a steep decline as kids approach their teens.

Where do they go?

• Half of families stay within their own neighborhood to trick-or-treat, 31% venture into a nearby one, and 14% head to trunk-or-treat events.
• When it comes to distance traveled, most parents (43%) said their children stay within a few blocks, 32% cover multiple neighborhoods, and 15% drive to another town entirely.

How long do they stay out?

• The vast majority of families start between 6–7 p.m. (45%) and 5–6 p.m. (39%).
• 57% say the sweet spot in terms of duration is one to two hours, but nearly 1 in 4 parents (23%) stay out for up to three hours.

Are non-traditional events growing?

• 71% of families attend community Halloween events in addition to trick-or-treating.
• Families in apartments are most likely to participate (80%), showing that even without a traditional block of houses, families find ways to celebrate. A reminder that smaller spaces can still feel festive with the right setup.
• The most common reasons parents cite for going to these events are: safer environments (37%), community involvement (37%), and candy collection efficiency (26%).

Trick-or-Treating Traditions and Expectations 

What kind of candy is given out?

• Fun-size candy is the standard (72%), with 20% handing out a mix of full- and fun-size bars. Just 6% stick to full-size only.
• Younger Americans are more than twice as likely to go with full-sized candy bars compared to older generations (14% vs. 6%).

Do decorations matter?

• Two-thirds of Americans believe decorated homes hand out better candy, proving that curb appeal goes a long way when kids are picking which houses to hit.

Has trick-or-treating gotten less popular?

• 58% of Americans think trick-or-treating isn’t as popular as when they were kids.
• They cite safety concerns (64%), fewer neighborhood interactions (55%), and the rise of organized events (39%) as the main reasons.

Do you have to trick-or-treat on Halloween night?

• 86% believe trick-or-treating should happen on Oct. 31, no matter the day of the week. 12% prefer it to take place the weekend before Halloween.
• Urban residents are more likely than suburban ones to prefer a weekend celebration (18% vs. 8%). 

How old is too old to trick-or-treat?

• According to parents, the oldest acceptable age to trick-or-treat is 15. 
• As for when kids can go alone, the consensus lands at about 9-and-a-half years old, although younger parents tend to be more conservative, letting their kids go alone closer to age 11.

While half of parents think organized Halloween events (like trunk-or-treats) are replacing traditional trick-or-treating, our results show that there’s still plenty of space for the classic door-to-door escapades. Families are making sure everyone can participate, even if they don’t live in the classic trick-or-treating backdrop of a traditional suburban neighborhood.

It’s all about balancing tradition with changing times. Trick-or-treating might not look exactly like it did a generation ago, but the ritual still does what it was intended to all along. It brings neighborhoods, communities, and families together.

Closing Thoughts

Our study revealed the top Halloween candies across the country and showed how parents are adapting the way their families celebrate. From fun-size favorites to community events, the details may shift, but the holiday’s spirit remains strong.

That same balance, holding on to what matters while adapting to new ways of living, is at the core of what Apt2B Modern Furniture does. Whether you’re furnishing a smaller space, refreshing a family room, or making your home feel ready for every season, Apt2B helps create a space where traditions old and new can thrive.

Methodology

To determine the most popular Halloween candy in every state, we analyzed Google Trends data of 40 popular candy bars for just the month of October from the past five years. We compared the search interest for each candy head-to-head to find the most popular ones in every state. We used search interest as an indicator of popularity for this study.

We then ran a survey of 1,000 American parents with children between the ages of 5 and 13 to learn more about the state of trick-or-treating today. The survey ran over one week in August 2025.