Copyright MassLive
Between the candy, costumes, parties and horror films, Halloween has become a highly anticipated holiday across the United States, and a massive boost for the economy. The average U.S. household will spend $114.45 on Halloween expenses, from decorations to treats to customers, WalletHub reports. That totals approximately $13.1 billion spent by the 73% of households that celebrate. These findings motivated a WalletHub study aimed at helping people find their best return on investment by analyzing the best cities for Halloween. The rankings were based on metrics such as the number of costume stores per capita, crime rates and the best potential trick-or-treat stops on Oct. 31. “Halloween holds a big place in American popular culture, and we collectively spend billions of dollars celebrating every year. At the same time, it’s also a holiday that comes with a certain amount of risk, given that children visit strangers’ houses in the dark,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said. “The best cities for Halloween are those that provide the safety conditions for celebrating, along with an abundance of activities, Halloween-related stores and good weather.” Boston ranked 8th overall nationwide on WalletHub’s list for best cities for Halloween, earning a total score of 56.15. The city’s placement showed high and low marks across different categories: Trick-or-treater friendliness: Ranked 4th Halloween fun: Ranked 60th Halloween weather: Ranked 68th On a scale ranking the best places to go trick-or-treating, Boston came in nearly last place, at 96th. In contrast, Laredo, Texas came in first. Meanwhile, New York, New York was considered the best place to be overall on Halloween. It boasts the second-most Halloween costume shops and the most candy stores per capita, Wallet Hub reported. New York residents also search Google for “Halloween parties” and related terms more than people in any other city. The city’s high population density and the second-highest walkability score mean it’s easier to go trick-or-treating and collect candy. For other Halloween activities, New York has the second-most movie theaters per capita and the 16th-most haunted houses, along with many amusement parks. The top 10 best cities for Halloween: WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities to determine the rankings. Here’s how the top 10 scored: New York, New York with a score of 71.38 Jersey City, New Jersey with a score of 62.29 Los Angeles, California with a score of 59.35 Chicago, Illinois with a score of 58.20 Las Vegas, Nevada with a score of 57.99 Miami, Florida with a score of 57.18 Anaheim, California with a score of 56.47 Boston, Massachusetts with a score of 56.15 Gilbert, Arizona with a score of 54.11 Newark, New Jersey with a score of 53.41
