The weeks leading up to Halloween is a key period for retailers. Still one month out from Black Friday, the spooky holiday is a last chance to drum up sales between the slow summer months and the all-essential holiday season. So how will the related industries — from pumpkin farmers, to chocolate factories, to costume stores — fare this year? The National Retail Federation put together some stats on how Americans are planning to spend. Here, Halloween's most important numbers:
$6.9 billion
Amount Americans will spend on Halloween in 2013
$8 billion
Amount Americans spent in 2012
55
Percent increase in Halloween spending from 2005
$75.03
The average amount each American will spend on the holiday this year
542 million
Pounds of pumpkins harvested in Illinois this year
2,032
Pounds California farmer Tim Mathison's world-record-breaking pumpkin weighed
$5
Average cost of a carving pumpkin in the U.S.
$15
Average cost of a carving pumpkin in New York City
$2.8 billion
Amount Americans will spend on candy
$1 billion
Amount expected to be spent on children's costumes
$1.2 billion
Amount Americans will spend on adult costumes
$2,000
The cost of the eight-foot tall vampire costume Exmortis Stalkaround
$52.46
The cost of a sexy pizza costume
70
Percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who plan to dress up this year
65
Percent of those in their late-20s and early-30s who will do the same
52
Percent of millennials who will dress like animals, according to a survey by New York City-based ooVoo, a social video chat provider
27
Percent from the same survey who plan to dress as pop culture icons
22 million
Americans who will dress up their pets
$330 million
Amount Americans will spend on costumes for their four-legged friends
25.2
Percent of Americans who are reeling in their Halloween spending because of the economy
35
Percent from that group who are cutting back in the candy department
8
Percent from that group who are skipping candy altogether
