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Tonight, thousands of young ghouls and ghosts will hit the streets in search of the best sweets in their neighborhoods — but what candy do Connecticut kids (and their parents) enjoy most from these yearly hauls?

Starburst is the most popular candy in Connecticut and in the nation, topping the charts in a total of 13 states, according to a year-long study done by InnerBody analyzing Google Trends search data over the past year. Sour Patch Kids came in second place, taking the top spot in eight states.

Chocolate candy was much less popular across the nation, according to the study. Reese’s took the slot for top chocolate candy in the U.S.

Connecticut’s neighbor, Rhode Island, was the only state where Almond Joy came in first place.

Nationwide, spending on candy is expected to reach $3.9 billion this year, and Halloween costs are predicted to reach a record $13.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey. Candy and chewing gum prices have risen 9.8% from September 2024 to September 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This comes out to around $114 on overall Halloween spending per person, another spending record for the holiday, according to the survey.

As for costume attire, spending is also high, but the NRF survey found that 51% of consumers plan to dress in costume. The most popular kid costume is Spiderman, and the most popular adult costume is a witch.

Sasha is a data reporter with The Connecticut Mirror. She focuses on producing data-driven reporting and data visualizations for the newsroom. Prior to joining CT Mirror, Sasha worked part time for the Herald-Mail, a newspaper based in Western Maryland. As a 2025 graduate from the University of Maryland, she worked as a reporter and copy editor for Capital News Service, the university’s wire service, covering the state legislature, the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, school board elections, youth mental health and climate change. Sasha also worked as an intern for the Baltimore Magazine, and was a reporter for the Diamondback, the university’s independent, student-run newspaper.