EVENTS & HOLIDAYS

Utahns are the most excessive Halloween decorators in the U.S., study finds

Oct 17, 2024, 1:43 PM

FILE - Valerie Hadley picks a Halloween decoration at Zurchers, a costume and party supply store, i...

FILE - Valerie Hadley picks a Halloween pumpkin decoration at Zurchers, a costume and party supply store, in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Yukai Peng, Deseret News)

(Yukai Peng, Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — Norman Bates said it first on the silver screen in 1960 that “we all go a little mad here.” But apparently, Utahns are the maddest, according to a recent study that shows they decorate for Halloween more than any other state in the U.S.

Overall, the study said 82% of Americans are decorating for Halloween in 2024 and, based on survey results, 56% are also planning to carve pumpkins. On average, Americans are spending $131 on Halloween decorations and taking an average of 4 hours to put them up. The amount spent rose from $87 in 2023, the study found.

The data collected annually by a Michigan-based home contractor used Google search analysis and surveys taken from a group of 1,203 individuals in September 2024. The group of respondents were 49% women, 49% men and 2% nonbinary, the study said, and ranged between ages 18 to 76 with an average of 40.

The study discovered that the decorations Utahns like to use the most are spiders. Following closely to Utah in second and third place were New Hampshire and Vermont, the study said.

A map ranking the 50 states in the U.S. on the most Halloween decorations in 2024. (Lombardo Homes)

New Hampshire’s decoration of choice was a Grim Reaper and Vermont a scarecrow. Interestingly, Rhode Island was the only state with the top decoration of a werewolf.

The state with the least amount of Halloween decorations in 2024 was Alabama.

A list of the 50 U.S. states ranked for the most Halloween decorations in 2024. (Lombardo Homes)

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Utahns are the most excessive Halloween decorators in the U.S., study finds