For some people, dressing up for Halloween is the highlight of their whole year. They’ll throw everything into their costume, spending hours perfecting it, and then shamelessly rock it.
But for others—and we’ve all been here—it means dropping 30 bucks on a costume they’ll never see again (*Cue eye-roll*).
Americans are projected to spend more money than ever on Halloween this year—reaching 8.8 billion dollars. That’s an average of $86.27 per person on a Halloween getup. Call it crazy? Some call it fun.
No matter your feelings towards the holiday, one thing holds true across the board: you never want to show up to a party wearing the same costume as someone else. Read on to see what’s poppin’ in your state (and how to avoid wearing the same costume as someone else).
The breakdown
Between rabbits and witches and clowns and fairies, All Home Connections through Google Trends tracked down which costumes are trending the most this year.
Using Google’s top Halloween costume list from 2018 and 2019 data on trending costumes, we found the projected outcome of 2019’s most popular costumes. As to be expected, some costume ideas were givens (cough cough, Hawaii and mermaids), while others seemed to have zero correlation (Wisconsin and…ninjas?).
Here’s the breakdown of each costume, categorized by generic costumes, heroes and villains, animals, and mythical creatures.
Generic costumes
There’s nothing wrong with going back to the basics. Every kid has to fulfill their dream of dressing up as a doctor for Halloween. And most college students are balling on a budget anyway, limiting them to what they have in the back of their closet. (Hello, overdone Risky Business college costume.)
You call it generic; we call it classic.
Speaking of classics, ten states are opting to throw it back to the ‘80s with their costumes and swap skinny jeans for acid-washed and crop tops for shoulder pads. Meanwhile, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi—states that revere football—are all about dressing up like cheerleaders. Coincidence? We think not.
Mainers may show up as pumpkins this year which—fingers crossed—would be perfectly on-brand for the occasion. Plus, we love a good G-rated costume.
Heroes & Villains
Batman returns—in Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, and Oklahoma, to be exact. If you find yourself in any of those ZIP codes on October 31st, keep your eyes peeled for the bat signal.
The Black Panther is sure to be a hit on the East Coast with Delaware, DC, Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina teaming up.
Spider-Man, The Incredibles, and other various superheroes are sure to make their debut on Hallow’s Eve, but not before Fortnite takes over Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, and West Virginia. Fortnite broke records last year with $2.4 billion in revenue, so it’s no surprise the game inspired 5 whole states.
Be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters busting out the floss, the robot, or other Fortnite dance moves this year.
Animals
Alaska is the only state feeling the furry look this year; the bear is projected to be its most popular Halloween costume—which makes us so, so happy. Is Alaska bear country? Absolutely. Is it also the 3rd most pet-obsessed state? You heard it hear first!
Expect to see lots of mice running around in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. New England’s Google trends rank high for rodents, so don’t be too shocked if you spot people up north sporting whiskers and ears.
Sadly, no spiders made the list this year. Guess people are saving those for decorations.
Mythical Creatures
Among the ranks of mystic-minded states are California, Hawaii, Vermont. Hawaii is oh-so appropriately going for the mermaid look this year, meanwhile California and Vermont are rumored to rock witch hats and fairy wings, respectively.
List of Popular Halloween Costumes by State
| State | Top Costume |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Cheerleader |
| Alaska | Bear |
| Arizona | 1980s |
| Arkansas | Superhero |
| California | Witch |
| Colorado | 1980s |
| Connecticut | Mouse |
| Delaware | Black Panther |
| District of Columbia | Black Panther |
| Florida | Angel |
| Georgia | Black Panther |
| Hawaii | Mermaid |
| Idaho | The Incredibles |
| Illinois | Batman |
| Indiana | Fortnite |
| Iowa | Fortnite |
| Kansas | Batman |
| Kentucky | Fortnite |
| Louisiana | Cheerleader |
| Maine | Pumpkin |
| Maryland | Black Panther |
| Massachusetts | Mouse |
| Michigan | Batman |
| Minnesota | 1980s |
| Mississippi | Cheerleader |
| Missouri | 1980s |
| Montana | 1980s |
| Nebraska | Fortnite |
| Nevada | Clown |
| New Hampshire | 1980s |
| New Jersey | Batman |
| New Mexico | Wonder Woman |
| New York | Mouse |
| North Carolina | Pirate |
| North Dakota | 1980s |
| Ohio | 1980s |
| Oklahoma | Batman |
| Oregon | 1980s |
| Pennsylvania | Mouse |
| Rhode Island | Superhero |
| South Carolina | Black Panther |
| South Dakota | Ninja |
| Tennessee | 1980s |
| Texas | Chucky |
| Utah | Spider-Man |
| Vermont | Fairy |
| Virginia | Black Panther |
| Washington | Rabbit |
| West Virginia | Fortnite |
| Wisconsin | Ninja |
| Wyoming | Dinosaur |
What are you wearing?
Whether you dress up as a dinosaur or fairy this year, just make sure you don’t dress up as your state’s most popular costume—unless, of course, you want to blend in with the crowd.
About:
All Home Connections is an authorized AT&T retailer specializing in internet, TV and other service plans. Reporters can email questions to media@attpublicity.com.