Halloween Costume Spending by Birthday Month and Age Group
Consumer spending on Halloween costumes peaks in October, with the National Retail Federation reporting total U.S. Halloween spending of 12.2 billion dollars in 2024, and costume buyers allocate a median of 38 dollars per person based on NRF survey data. The highest per-capita costume spending by birthday month clusters in late September through early November, reflecting party demand, while the lowest spending months align with January through April, when seasonal retail traffic drops below 30 percent of peak levels. The average age of a Halloween costume buyer in 2024 is 34 years old, with the 25 to 34 age bracket representing the largest share of purchases, followed closely by the 18 to 24 cohort, according to NRF and Statista consumer expenditure surveys. For parents buying for children, the 5 to 12 age group accounts for the largest share of youth costume sales, while adult costume purchases skew toward the 18 to 34 range, with women representing approximately 58 percent of total costume buyers in the latest NRF data. The top five costume categories by retail sales in 2024 were witch, vampire, zombie, superhero, and pirate, with witch costumes holding the top spot for the third consecutive year, according to costume retailer sales data and industry reports. The average household with children spends 94 dollars on Halloween, including costumes, decorations, and candy, compared to 42 dollars for households without children, per NRF figures. The fastest-growing costume subcategory is licensed pop-culture and movie character costumes, which grew 11 percent year-over-year in 2024, driven by major film releases and streaming content, according to industry analyst estimates. For adults aged 35 to 44, group costume purchases are rising, with couples and friend groups representing 22 percent of all adult costume sales in 2024, per costume retailer data. The average cost of a child costume purchased online in 2024 is 27 dollars, while adult costumes average 41 dollars, with premium licensed costumes exceeding 75 dollars, according to e-commerce platform data. The most popular costume theme for October birthdays is horror and supernatural, with 34 percent of October-born costume buyers choosing a horror-related theme, compared to 21 percent for the general population, per birthday-based consumer survey data. For November birthdays, the most common theme is pop culture and TV characters, reflecting the tail end of the Halloween season and early holiday party planning, according to costume retailer trend reports. The average costume purchase lead time before October 31 is 11 days, with buyers born in October purchasing costumes earlier in the month than those born in September or November, per e-commerce analytics. The top online costume retailers by U.S. market share in 2024 are Amazon, Spirit Halloween, and HalloweenCostumes.com, with Amazon holding an estimated 31 percent share of online costume sales, per marketplace data and industry reports. For birthday-based costume planning, buyers born in October spend 15 percent more on costumes than the annual average, while those born in February spend 8 percent less, reflecting seasonal demand patterns, according to consumer spending data. The average return rate for Halloween costumes purchased online is 18 percent, with sizing issues cited as the primary reason, per e-commerce logistics data. The most expensive costume category by average price is licensed movie and TV character costumes, with an average price of 68 dollars in 2024, compared to 32 dollars for generic Halloween themes, according to retailer data. The fastest-growing sales channel for Halloween costumes is mobile commerce, which accounted for 42 percent of online costume purchases in 2024, up from 35 percent in 2023, per e-commerce platform reports. The average Halloween costume is worn 1.7 times before being stored or discarded, according to consumer survey data, with younger buyers