Every year, people debate which spooky treat is the best Halloween candy. (As expected, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups came in first last year.) So, are there any surprises on the list this year? Instacart analyzed the trends in national sales data and surveyed thousands of people to determine which Halloween candy reigns supreme for 2024. These are the most popular Halloween candies your state buys more than any other for trick-or-treating.
Top 10 Halloween Candies
According to the national survey, 50% of Americans will eat Halloween candy this year, and 45% will buy candy specifically for trick-or-treaters. As usual, tastes vary widely, from people who love chocolate and peanut butter combos to others who prefer sweet and sour candy.
In the month leading up to Halloween, shoppers will buy candy the day of (October 31) more than any other day. Here’s what they’re buying most often, ranked from most to least purchased.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- M&Ms
- Snickers
- Peanut M&M’s
- Twix
- Kit Kat
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
- Milky Way
- Sour Patch Kids
- Skittles
Most Popular Halloween Candy in Each State
Ten candies contended for a top spot, but only three came in first for each state: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&M’s, and Peanut M&M’s. In a landslide, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were the most popular Halloween candy in 40 states!
To make things more interesting, Instacart dug into the data and pulled out the most “uniquely popular” candy. For example, people in Florida buy Milky Way Dark chocolate bars 248% more often than the national average. New York has a fascination with Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Chocolates, buying them 141% more than other states. Peek at the data below to see which candies are the most prized in your state.
Most Popular Halloween Candy by State | ||
---|---|---|
State | Unique Pick | Most Popular |
Alabama | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Alaska | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Arizona | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Arkansas | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
California | Crunch | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Colorado | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Connecticut | Sour Patch Kids | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Delaware | Hershey’s Milk Chocolate | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Florida | Milky Way | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Georgia | Nerds | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Hawaii | Peanut M&M’s | Peanut M&M’s |
Idaho | Peanut M&M’s | Peanut M&M’s |
Illinois | M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Indiana | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Iowa | M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Kansas | Candy Corn | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Kentucky | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Louisiana | Tootsie Rolls | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Maine | Candy Corn | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Maryland | Sour Patch Kids | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Massachusetts | Sour Patch Kids | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Michigan | M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Minnesota | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Mississippi | Hershey’s Milk Chocolate | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Missouri | Tootsie Rolls | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Montana | Peanut M&Ms | M&M’s |
Nebraska | Peanut M&M’s | M&M’s |
Nevada | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
New Hampshire | Candy Corn | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
New Jersey | Sour Patch Kids | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
New Mexico | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
New York | Ferrero Rocher | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
North Carolina | Nerds | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
North Dakota | Peanut M&M’s | M&M’s |
Ohio | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Oklahoma | Starburst | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Oregon | Peanut M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Pennsylvania | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Rhode Island | Sour Patch Kids | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
South Carolina | Candy Corn | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
South Dakota | Peanut M&M’s | M&M’s |
Tennessee | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Texas | Skittles | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Utah | Peanut M&M’s | Peanut M&M’s |
Vermont | Peanut M&Ms | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Virginia | Hershey’s Milk Chocolate | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Washington | Crunch | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
West Virginia | Hershey’s Milk Chocolate | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Wisconsin | M&M’s | Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups |
Wyoming | Hershey’s Milk Chocolate | Peanut M&M’s |