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What are the best US cities for Halloween fun? Here’s where Sacramento ranked

Just how spooktacular is Sacramento?

WalletHub recently ranked the Best Cities for Halloween in the United States, comparing the 100 largest U.S. cities based on factors ranging from weather to crime rates and costume stores per capita.

New York City was No. 1 on the list of top haunts for fans of All Hallows Eve, while Jersey City, New Jersey, came in second and Miami was third.

These bewitching spots all have something in common, WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo wrote.

“The best cities for Halloween are those that provide the safest conditions for celebrating, along with an abundance of activities, Halloween-related stores and good weather,” Lupo said.

Here’s where Sacramento ranked:

Trick or treaters flood East Sacramento’s Fab 40s in neighborhood in search of Halloween candy Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023.
Trick or treaters flood East Sacramento’s Fab 40s in neighborhood in search of Halloween candy Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com

Where is Sacramento in list of the best cities for Halloween?

Sacramento was No. 28 on the WalletHub’s list of the best U.S. cities for Halloween, with an overall score of 49.46 out of 100.

The capital city was among the top 20 spots for Halloween fun and Halloween weather.

However, Sacramento ranked lower — at No. 60 — in terms of trick-or-treater friendliness.

That latter category included metrics such as the crime rate, population density, walkability and the rate of car crash-related pedestrian fatalities.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, dressed as Superman, greets children attending a Halloween party at the Penleigh Child Development Center on Oct. 31, 2018 in Sacramento. Then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom wears a Batman outfit in the background.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, dressed as Superman, greets children attending a Halloween party at the Penleigh Child Development Center on Oct. 31, 2018 in Sacramento. Then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom wears a Batman outfit in the background. Paul Kitagaki Jr. Sacramento Bee file

Where did other California cities rank?

According to WalletHub, Los Angeles was the highest ranking California city for Halloween hijinks.

The Southern California city landed in sixth place on the list with an overall score of 58.98.

Five other California cities landed in the top 20, including Anaheim at No. 8.

San Diego was No. 12, while San Francisco was No. 13 and Santa Ana was No. 15 and San Jose was No. 19.

Serenity, 8, of Stockton, and her cousin Neylani, 3, run through the pumpkin patch in search of a pumpkin at Daves Pumpkin Patch in West Sacramento on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021.
Serenity, 8, of Stockton, and her cousin Neylani, 3, run through the pumpkin patch in search of a pumpkin at Daves Pumpkin Patch in West Sacramento on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. Sara Nevis snevis@sacbee.com

What are the top 10 spots for Halloween in the US?

These were the 10 best cities for Halloween fun in 2024, according to WalletHub:

  1. New York City
  2. Jersey City, New Jersey
  3. Miami
  4. Las Vegas
  5. Chicago
  6. Los Angeles
  7. Washington, D.C.
  8. Anaheim
  9. Boston
  10. Gilbert, Arizona

How did WalletHub come up with its rankings?

To pick the best destinations for Halloween, WalletHub said it compared 100 of the most populated U.S. cities across three key dimensions:

  • Trick-or-treater friendliness
  • Halloween fun
  • Halloween weather

The website then evaluated those dimensions using 20 relevant metrics, ranging from average temperatures and precipitation amounts on Oct. 31 to the number of candy shops, movie theaters and pumpkin patches per capita.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the “most favorable conditions for a Halloween celebration,” WalletHub said.

WalletHub determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score.

Data came from sources including the FBI, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Transportation , Accuweather and Yelp, and were collected as of Sept. 24.

This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 6:00 AM.

Sarah Linn
The Tribune
Sarah Linn is an editor and reporter on the West Service Journalism Team, working with journalists in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, Merced and San Luis Obispo in California and Bellingham, Olympia and Tri-Cities in Washington, as well as Boise, Idaho. She previously served as the Local/Entertainment Editor of The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, working there for nearly two decades. A graduate of Oregon State University, she has earned multiple California journalism awards.
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