Halloween 2026 by the Numbers: One Costume Every Four Seconds

The headline Halloween statistics for 2026: Americans were expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween, $4.4 billion of it on costumes, according to the National Retail Federation. Our own season adds a costume maker's view: we shipped 1.3 million costumes in the 61 days from September 1 to October 31, 2026. That is one costume every four seconds, day and night.

We are MorphCostumes, the Edinburgh company that started in 2009 with a single product, the Morphsuit. This Halloween we sold in 13 countries across North America and Europe, and every one of those markets grew. Planning next October already? Start with our Halloween costumes range and our best Halloween costumes guide.

What are the key numbers from our Halloween 2026 season?

Our season ran from September 1 to October 31, 2026. Line by line:

• 1.3 million costumes shipped in 61 days: one every four seconds, on average.
• More than 60,000 costumes sold on the busiest day, Monday, October 26.
• More than four in five costumes sold in October, and around a fifth in the final week.
• Sold in 13 countries across North America and Europe, with every market in growth.
• About 245 miles of packs, laid end to end.
• More than 25% compound annual revenue growth over the last six years.

Where each figure comes from, and the arithmetic behind it, is in how we counted.

How much did Americans spend on Halloween in 2026?

Americans were expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, the National Retail Federation said in a survey published September 22, 2026. Costumes were expected to take $4.4 billion of that, close to a third of the total.

Those are survey forecasts of what shoppers planned to spend. Our figures are different in kind: a count of what we actually shipped, from one costume maker's books. Read them as our view from inside the season, not a national total. The full breakdown is in the NRF release.

When did people buy their Halloween costumes?

Late: more than four in five of our season's costumes sold in October, and around a fifth sold in the final week of the season. Read as a timeline, the 61 days looked like this:

• September 1 to 30: the early planners, buying well ahead of the rush.
• October 1 to 24: the main stretch of buying, before the final-week surge.
• October 25 to 31: around a fifth of the season's costumes, bought in the last seven days.
• Monday, October 26: inside that final week, the busiest day of the season, with more than 60,000 costumes sold in a single day.

Fraser Smeaton, our co-founder and CEO, puts the late rush down to delivery: faster, more reliable shipping means people buy later every year. Our own advice for next year runs the other way. Order in September, try the costume on at home and check the fit with weeks to spare, not hours.

How far would 1.3 million costumes stretch?

Laid end to end in their packs, the season's costumes would stretch about 245 miles. That is further than New York to Boston, about 190 miles, or Los Angeles to Las Vegas, about 228 miles, both measured as the crow flies.

The distance assumes an average pack length of about 12 inches (30 cm). Road distances between those cities are longer than the straight-line figures, which is why we keep the comparison to the crow's route.

What was the standout costume of Halloween 2026?

When Fraser summed up the year, the inflatable alien was the costume he singled out:

"Halloween keeps growing as an international phenomenon, and every one of our markets was up this year. Our inflatable alien was the standout costume of the season. Faster, more reliable delivery means people buy later every year, so the season now runs right up to the night itself. One costume every four seconds is a lot of parties, trick-or-treat runs and office [costume] days, and every one went to someone who wanted a night to remember."

Fraser Smeaton, co-founder and CEO, MorphCostumes

To wear the abduction yourself, the Alien Costume Inflatable Pick Me Up is our adult take on it: you step in, switch on the built-in fan, and it inflates into a wide-eyed green alien carrying you off, legs dangling. It is one size, designed for adults from 5'4" to 6'4", and a fresh set of four AA batteries, bought separately, keeps it inflated for up to four hours. For other inflatables, see our best inflatable costumes guide; for other alien looks, see best alien costumes for adults.

The kids alien: the same abduction gag, kid-sized

The Kids Inflatable Red Alien Pick Me Up Costume puts the same joke on a smaller frame: a giant green alien carrying off a "captive" in a red top. It is one size for children from 3 ft 11 in to 5 ft 3 in tall, with a built-in fan and battery pack that takes 4 AA batteries, bought separately. Pair it with the adult pick-me-up above and a parent and child can arrive as one alien landing.

Which other looks from our 2026 range are worth knowing?

Two of the looks below are new to our range for Halloween 2026; the third is a kids costume from our year-round range. For each one we spell out what comes in the pack and the one add-on we would put with it, so nothing in the photo catches you out on the night.

New for 2026: the steampunk inventor

The Men's Steampunk Inventor Costume comes with a gear-print vest attached to a shirt, striped pants, an antique gold-effect belt buckle, a top hat with attached goggles and matching arm cuffs that close with hook and loop. Sizes run Medium to XXL. Boots and a cane are yours to add. For the finishing prop, add the Steampunk Ray Gun Prop, 10 by 8.5 inches in silver, black and gold.

New for 2026: the gothic witch playsuit

The Women's Gothic Witch Playsuit Costume is a soft, stretchy black playsuit with a center back zip, plus a witch hat, belt, choker and hand jewelry. Choose from the size guide on its page. Bring your own broom, tights and boots; the pack does not include the ones in the photo. For the hair, add the Black & Red Ombre Wig: long and straight, black at the roots and red at the tips.

For younger kids: the triceratops

The Kids Triceratops Dinosaur Costume is a plush jumpsuit with attached feet and tail and a lined hood with three horns, in XS (3-4 years), Small (4-6) and Medium (7-9). The hood comes off easily, which helps with bathroom trips mid-party. A grown-up can match with the Brown Triceratops Headband and Tail Set, a horned headband and a 20-inch bendable tail for adults and teens 14 and up.

Who is MorphCostumes?

MorphCostumes is a costume company founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2009 by brothers Fraser and Ali Smeaton and their friend Gregor Lawson. We started with the Morphsuit, a head-to-toe spandex costume, and now design and sell costumes and accessories for adults and kids through our own websites in the U.S. and the UK and through online marketplaces. Every costume goes through over 30 measurement checks.

Over the last six years our revenue has grown by more than 25% a year, compounded. This Halloween we sold in 13 countries across North America and Europe, with every market in growth. The full story of who we are is in our who makes Morphsuits post.

How did we count?

The season figures come from our own sales data for September 1 to October 31, 2026. The daily and monthly figures (the October share, the final-week share and the busiest day) come from our main sales channels, which carry most of our volume. The steps:

• The season: 61 days, September 1 to October 31 inclusive (30 days plus 31).
• One every four seconds: 61 days is about 5.27 million seconds; divided by 1.3 million costumes, that is about 4 seconds each.
• The distance: 1.3 million packs at an average length of about 12 inches (30 cm) comes to about 245 miles.
• The city comparisons: straight-line distances between city centers, so road trips run longer.
• Growth: the six-year revenue growth and the growth in every market are company-reported figures, not drawn from this season's sales count.
• U.S. spending: the National Retail Federation's own survey forecasts, not our data.

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