Halloween is just around the corner but America’s love for this spooky holiday appears to be waning. In 2019, Finder estimates that 145 million Americans (roughly 44% of the population) will be buying a pumpkin to make homemade jack-o-lanterns, which is down slightly from 147 million (45%) in 2018.
With Americans forecast to spend $8.8 billion on All Saints’ Day, according to the National Retail Federation, 2019 will be roughly $200 million shy of the $9 billion they spent in 2018.
The cost of a pumpkin is also down, with prices falling for the third straight year. In 2019, the cost of the average pumpkin is $2.60, down from $3.89 in 2018 — a 33% decline. This precipitous fall in the cost of a pumpkin, coupled with a declining number of Americans planning to carve a jack-o-lantern, means that Americans will be spending approximately 377.23 million on pumpkins in 2019. This is a drop of more than $200 million from the $575.26 just a year ago.
Here’s how the total adds up:
| Average price of a pumpkin | $2.60 |
| Percentage of Americans planning to carve pumpkins | 44% |
| Number of Americans that plan to carve pumpkins | 145,089,009 |
| Total jack-o-lantern expenditure | $377,231,423 |
Source: finder.com, United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Retail Federation
Thankfully, there should be enough supply to meet the demand for everything pumpkin-related this fall, with pumpkin production up on last year, when diseases, rain and cool temperatures damaged crops.
Overall, Halloween 2019 is expected to be an expensive day with the National Retail Federation predicting total spending on Halloween to reach a record of $8.8 billion.
“A DIY costume can definitely help with savings if you use material and clothing you already have. And let’s be honest, something as simple as bedsheets can make you the perfect ghost or superhero. You might even end up having the most creative costume due to your innovation,” says Allan Givens, PR Coordinator at finder.com.
“Be sure to set a budget before venturing to the shops to ensure you’re conscious of over-spending. Do some research and see what stores are offering the best deals on candy. Some candy you have laying around from the year before might still be good. Dark chocolate can have a shelf life of two years in foil when kept in a cool dry place. If you are hosting a party don’t hesitate to reuse decorations from the year before or craft some up.
The average price of a pumpkin has dropped by 33.16% in 2019, to $2.60 from 2018’s $3.89. The proportion of Americans planning to carve pumpkins has only declined one percentage point, from 45% to 44%. This lower price average coupled with 44% of American’s 2019 population resulted in a decrease of 34.42% in total jack-o-lantern expenditure.
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figures | YoY difference (%) | Figures | YoY difference (%) | Figures | YoY difference (%) | |
| Average price of a pumpkin | $2.60 | -33.16% | $3.89 | -5.58% | $4.12 | N/A |
| Percentage of Americans planning to carve pumpkins | 44% | N/A | 45% | N/A | 46% | N/A |
| Number of Americans that plan to carve pumpkins | 145,089,009 | -1.89% | 147,882,426 | -1.42% | 150,007,007 | N/A |
| Total jack-o-lantern expenditure | 377,231,423 | -34.42% | $575,262,637 | -6.92% | $618,028,870 | N/A |
Source: finder.com, United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Retail Federation
Allan Givens
Public Relations Manager
203-818-2928
allan.givens@finder.com
Nicole Gallina
Communications Coordinator
347-677-4931
nicole.gallina@finder.com
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