The Number One: This is the best candy to hand out on Halloween — and the absolute worst

And Halloween 2021 looks to be a treat for retailers and candy sellers, with consumer spending on Halloween-related items expected to hit $10.14 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That includes $3 billion on candy. The National Confectioners Association also expects sales of chocolate and candy will be 60% higher than they were in 2019.

Related: Here’s what Americans aren’t afraid of this Halloween: spending money

So what’s America’s favorite Halloween candy for 2021? Hershey Co’s
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-2.26%
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups come in at No. 1, followed by Mars Inc.’s Skittles, M&M’s and Starburst, with Hot Tamales (from the family-owned Just Born) rounding out the top five. 

These are the top 10 most popular Halloween candies according to CandyStore.com. 

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

2. Skittles

3. M&M’s

4. Starburst

5. Hot Tamales

6. Sour Patch Kids

7. Hershey’s Kisses

8. Snickers

9. Tootsie Pops

10. Candy corn

And even though generic candy corn lands at No. 10 on the most popular overall list, the tri-color sugar kernels were also voted as the worst candy of all time, per CandyStore.com’s data, followed by the spongy, marshmallow circus peanuts, peanut butter kisses, Smarties and Necco wafers.

These are the top 10 “worst” Halloween candies according to CandyStore.com. 

1. Candy corn

2. Circus peanuts

3. Peanut butter kisses

4. Smarties

5. Necco wafers

6. Wax Coke bottles

7. Mary Janes

8. Tootsie Rolls

9. Good & Plenty

10. Black licorice

But the real fun comes when the site breaks down the most popular confections by state, which gives an idea of what trick-or-treaters are craving from Alabama (where Starburst comes out on top) to Wyoming (where folks are gobbling up Reese’s cups.) 

And while the Reese’s were the most popular overall candy across the U.S., the peanut butter and chocolate cups actually weren’t the top pick in the most individual states. In fact, chewy, fruit-flavored Starbursts and Mondelez International’s
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-0.34%
Sour Patch Kids were ranked No. 1 in six states apiece, followed by Reese’s cups and M&M’s with five states each, and Tootsie Rolls
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-0.66%
in four states. 

Some states that broke the candy mold include Montana, where Dubble Bubble Gum is the favorite, and Louisiana, which puckers up for Lemonheads.

So which state actually likes candy corn?  While the divisive sweet wasn’t named the top candy in any of the 50 states, it did place second in Michigan and New Mexico, and third in several states, including Alabama, Iowa, Maine, New York and Nevada. 

Check out the map for 2021’s Most Popular Halloween Candy in the U.S. by state below, or play with the interactive here. 

And if your family is trick-or-treating or throwing a Halloween party this weekend, check out the CDC’s tips for having fun while staying safe.