The Most Popular Halloween Candy in Your State, According to a New Study

October is officially here, and with the flipping of the calendar page, we’re eagerly anticipating the most candy-packed holiday of the year: Halloween. Who doesn’t love the chance to pile monumental amounts of Halloween treats into pillowcases? ‘Tis the season for satisfying our sweet tooth, and if you ask us, everyone could use a little extra holiday indulgence this year.

Want to be the coolest house on the block when trick-or-treat time comes around? If so (because who wouldn’t), you’ll want to stock up on the good stuff. But like everything, candy trends come and go, and the most popular treat is ever-changing. Fortunately, you don’t need to do your own research–DoorDash has done the heavy lifting for all of us by gathering data on each state’s favorite candy. No more guessing about what you should hand out to the neighborhood kids this year!

America’s Top 10 Halloween Candies, Ranked

Though candy trends do come and go, some brands have an indisputable monopoly on America’s hearts. Here are the rankings of what the country consistently loves:

10th Place: Airheads
9th Place: Kit Kat
8th Place: Twix
7th Place: Sour Patch Kids
6th Place: Nerds
5th Place: Skittles
4th Place: Snickers
3rd Place: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar
2nd Place: M&M’s
1st Place: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

None of the above are necessarily surprises (we think chocolate candy may forever dominate Halloween trends), but DoorDash has also seen some unexpected contenders rising in sales recently.

Despite Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’ on-paper dominance of the industry, DoorDash orders have been skyrocketing for an unassuming competitor over the past couple of months (consider this your sign to stock up): Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme. Several bygone candies are also spiking in sales, cementing the theory that nostalgia is all the rage. Orders for Baby Bottle Pops are up a shocking 641 percent, Lemonheads have seen a 118 percent rise in popularity, and even the famously eschewed Necco Wafers are making a comeback, currently up 48 percent in sales.

Another unexpected treat on the rise? Raisins. That’s right—apparently, the small red box is no longer a dreaded sight in Halloween buckets, and it saw a shocking 522 percent growth in 2024. Other savory snacks are also on trend, like crackers (up 339 percent) and pretzels (up 93 percent). Why the rise in popularity of snacks favored by former generations? Cristen Milliner, Consumer Trends Expert at DoorDash, has a theory:

“Candy has become a kind of time capsule, with millennial parents passing down the staples they grew up with, while Gen Z and Gen Alpha are reinterpreting those same treats as retro comfort. What might have once been written off as ‘cringe’ by younger generations is now being embraced as feel-good nostalgia. The resurgence of items like grandma candy and Baby Bottle Pop shows how different generations might be finding joy in the same classics, just in their own way.”

The Most Popular Candy By State

Even though the nation’s favorite candies comprise a pretty clear-cut list, breaking down preferences by state sees some surprising choices taking center stage. It’s clear that though we Americans certainly love our chocolate, our sweet teeth aren’t limited to the obvious treat.

Reese’s treats still reign supreme in 14 states: Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. This gives Reese’s a pretty strong presence in the Midwest and on the East Coast (especially in New England).

The next most preferred candy sees favor in fewer than half the number of states that Reese’s claims. Sweet Smiles are dominant in the South and Midwest, with Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee calling it their favorite candy.

Meanwhile, Twizzlers have a concentrated presence in the Northern Midwest states, including Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Its cousin treat, Red Vines, is the favorite of Arizona, Idaho, and Montana.

SweeTARTS have a small presence in the Midwest and Western states, with New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah claiming this sweet and tangy treat.

A few different candies are vyed for by three states each: Snickers (California, Maryland, and Nevada); Trolli (Georgia, Rhode Island, and Texas); and Laffy Taffy (Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska). Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars are favored in both North and South Carolina.

The remaining states are singular in their candy preferences:

The bottom line? There’s definitely a candy hierarchy in the states that sees Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups sitting squarely at the top of the pyramid, with other chocolate treats not far behind. But treat preferences are just about as diverse as they come, with tart, sour, and gummy candies all gaining fame in certain regions. That said, you’re probably safe to buy whatever variety pack of candy catches your attention (or is suitable for your wallet). Keep the above info in mind, but there’s no need to practice exclusivity when you’re shopping for Halloween candy.