Americans Are Expected to Break Halloween Spending Record This Year Costume, candy and jack-o-lantern sellers are cashing in on this haunted holiday.

By Rose Leadem

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

gpointstudio | Getty Images

Happy Halloween! Are you dressing up today? The likely answer is yes, because this year nearly 171 million Americans are expected to partake in the spooky holiday. So if you're not in costume yet, you still have a few hours left to jump on the bandwagon.

Related: How Ridesharing Companies Get More Drivers on the Road for One of Their Busiest Days: Halloween

Halloween festivities don't always come cheap, though. In fact, Halloween spending is estimated to reach its peak this year: $8.4 billion. Get ready, trick-or-treaters, because most of that money is going to candy. Ninety-four percent of people plan to buy candy, accounting for two-thirds of Halloween spending this year.

Kids will put on their costumes to redeem all of those goodies, but as it turns out, adults may be a little more excited than youngsters. Americans are spending an estimated $1.2 billion on adult costumes this year -- nearly $250 million more than spending for kids' costumes.

Related: 8 Halloween Meals and Deals Too Scary to Miss

Keep your eyes peeled for a lot of Suicide Squad's Harley Quinn lookalikes today, as well as Star Wars and superhero costumes. To learn more about what's happening on this haunted holiday, check out SUMO Heavy's infographic below.

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This 30-Year-Old's $6,000-a-Month Side Hustle Started Making Money 'Immediately' — But He's Not Quitting His Day Job

Derrick Mathy works in orthopedic surgical device sales and is on a mission to bring people together in real life.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Starting a Business

Free Webinar | March 11: 3 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make (And How to Fix Them)

Join award-winning entrepreneur and bestselling author Kim Perell on 3/11 for an exclusive International Women's Month webinar! Learn how to avoid the three biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make so you can build a thriving business. Register now!

Thought Leaders

Today's Thought Leaders Are Stuck in An Echo Chamber. Here's How They Can Break Free

Thought leaders often fall into echo chambers, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, where algorithms reinforce familiar viewpoints, limiting exposure to diverse ideas.