The most popular Halloween candy in every U.S. state
Halloween is all about treats, but the candy of choice across the U.S. can vary from state to state. Salt water taffy is the favorite sweet in Nebraska, Washington and Wyoming, while Jolly Ranchers rein supreme in Georgia, and Hot Tamales are the top seller in a number of states.
That's what CandyStore.com, a bulk distributor of sugar-laden goods, found in analyzing 12 years of its sales data. The best-selling candy nationally? Skittles, made by the Wrigley Co., a division of Mars. It's also the most popular candy in California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota and South Carolina, CandyStore.com said.
Overall, consumers will spend $2.6 billion buying Halloween candy this year, about the same as in 2018, the National Retail Federation estimates. Economic research firm IHS Markit forecasts the average household will spend $21.30 on candy this year.
The nation's second, third and fourth most-purchased candies understandably all involve chocolate — specifically, Reese's Cups, M&Ms and Snickers. Starbursts and candy corn ranked fifth and sixth, with the former favored in Michigan, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Wisconsin and the latter the top seller in Iowa, Idaho, North Dakota, New Mexico and Nevada.
Hot Tamales ranked seventh, according to Candy.com, which found trick-or-treaters most likely to find the chewy, cinnamon-flavored oblong candy among their Halloween hauls if they live in Arizona, Indiana, New York and Virginia. Rounding out the top 10: Tootsie Pops, Sour Patch Kids and Hershey's Mini Bars.
Following is Candy.com's list of the most popular candy in every U.S. state (and the District of Columbia):
- Alabama ― Hershey's Mini Bars
- Alaska ― Twix
- Arizona ― Skittles
- Arkansas ― Hot Tamales
- California ― Skittles
- Colorado ― Twix
- Connecticut ― Milky Way
- Delaware ― Skittles
- District of Columbia ― Tootsie Pops
- Florida ― Skittles
- Georgia ― Jolly Ranchers
- Hawaii ― Skittles
- Idaho ― candy corn
- Illinois ― Kit Kat
- Indiana ― Hot Tamales
- Iowa ― candy corn
- Kansas ― Reese's Cups
- Kentucky ― Swedish Fish
- Louisiana ― Lemonheads
- Maine ― Sour Patch Kids
- Maryland ― Reese's Cups
- Massachusetts ― Butterfingers
- Michigan ― Starburst
- Minnesota ― Skittles
- Mississippi ― Snickers
- Missouri ― Milky Way
- Montana ― Dubble Bubble
- Nebraska ― salt water taffy
- Nevada ― candy corn
- New Hampshire ― Starbursts
- New Jersey ― Tootsie Pops
- New Mexico ― candy corn
- New York ― Hot Tamales
- North Carolina ― Reese's Cups
- North Dakota ― candy corn
- Ohio ― M&M's
- Oklahoma ― Dubble Bubbles
- Oregon ― Reese's Cups
- Pennsylvania ― Hershey's Mini Bars
- Rhode Island ― Twix
- South Carolina ― Skittles
- South Dakota ― Starbursts
- Tennessee ― Tootsie Pops
- Texas ― Reese's Cups
- Utah ― Jolly Ranchers
- Vermont ― M&M's
- Virginia ― Hot Tamales
- Washington ― salt water taffy
- West Virginia ― Blow Pops
- Wisconsin ― Starbursts
- Wyoming ― salt water taffy
