Halloween is the country's second largest commercial holiday after Christmas, a retail opportunity estimated at $6.9 billion,

The National Confectioners Association reported in 2005 that 80 percent of adults planned to give out candy to trick-or-treaters, and that 93 percent of children planned to go trick-or-treating. Americans spend $21 million on Halloween candies yearly second only to Christmas in total sales. Halloween is the Number 1 season for selling humorous greeting cards. In North America, some 25 million cards are sold annually.

Jack O’ Lanterns and Pies

805.3 million pounds

Total pumpkin production in states that were major producers of pumpkins in 2003. Illinois, with a production of 326 million pounds, led all states. There also were a whole lot of pumpkin patches in California, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. Each produced more than 70 million pounds of pumpkins. The value of the pumpkins produced by these states was $81 million.

Candy and Costumes

1,040

Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2001. These establishments employed 45,913 people and shipped $12 billion worth of goods that year. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments with 116, followed by Pennsylvania with 107.
 

616

Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured nonchocolate confectionary products in 2001. These establishments employed 26,400 people and shipped $7 billion worth of goods that year. California also led the nation in this category with 75 establishments.
 

25 pounds

Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2003; it is believed a large portion of this is consumed by kids around Halloween. But candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years: in 1997, each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds of the sweet stuff.

2,715

Number of formal wear and costume rental establishments across the nation in 2001. Trick-or-treaters rent, buy or invent the costumes they wear on Halloween.