Fort Worth may have earned a new nickname: Halloweentown.
Cowtown came in as the top Texas city — No. 5 nationally — for excitement about Halloween, according to new rankings by Betway. The online casino based its list on social media data and search trends to gauge where residents were most positive about the haunting holiday that will prompt U.S. consumers to spend $13.1 billion this year.
Fort Worth resident Delilah Trillo is among those embracing the spooky season. On Oct. 30, she was visiting a Goodwill store to find accessories for a Jurassic Park-themed trick-or-trunk display at her son’s school.
“That’s the vibe I’m going for,” she said. “Today, I picked up some plastic plants that the dinosaurs will hide in like in the movies.”
And it wasn’t her first Halloween haul of the season.
“I come here a lot,” she said. “We had a whole cart full of stuff the other day.”
Fort Worth and other cities embrace Halloween “more passionately than others,” according to Betway’s “spooky score” report. Nationally, Orlando, Florida, ranked the highest followed by Cleveland, Ohio; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Baltimore, Maryland.
In Texas, Fort Worth was followed by San Antonio, Plano, Houston and Austin.
“From glowing jack-o’-lanterns on front porches to ghost tours, themed parties and costume parades, the Halloween season offers endless ways to celebrate,” Betway officials said in a news release.
A Jack-o’-lantern-themed plastic skeleton is among the items for sale at the Goodwill store at 2100 Altamesa Blvd. in Fort Worth.
Fort Worthians are also enthusiastic about buying Halloween decorations and costumes.
A recent WalletHub study, which looks at 20 key metrics related to Halloween spending, ranked Fort Worth at No. 55 nationally. That study found the average American household plans to spend more than $114 for decorations, costumes and other expenses.
WalletHub ranked Laredo as the top Texas city for Halloween spending at No. 17 nationally, followed by Irving (No. 25), El Paso (No. 26), Arlington (No. 33), Garland (No. 35), Plano (No. 47), Houston (No. 52) and Dallas (No. 53).
That study examined various data including the number of costume stores per capita, potential trick-or-treat stops and crime rates.
WalletHub found that about 73% of U.S. households will celebrate Halloween this year. Consumers will spend about $4.3 billion for costumes and about $3.9 billion for candy, according to the study.
In Fort Worth, several retailers operate Halloween or costume stores, including Magic Etc./Fort Worth Costume Inc., a 40-year-old business that stays open year-round, and Harris Costumes, which has served the city since 1949.
Delilah Trillo found plastic plants for a dinosaur-themed Halloween display at the Altamesa Boulevard Goodwill store on Oct. 30, 2025. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)
However, economic uncertainty due to the government shutdown or inflation is prompting some consumers to look at second-hand retailers and thrift stores. Those outlets report an influx of shoppers who prefer to assemble their do-it-yourself costumes with unique and affordable materials.
Goodwill, which has Halloween merchandise in all stores, operates seasonal “Bootiques” at its Altamesa Boulevard store where Trillo was shopping as well as those in Mansfield, Watauga and Weatherford.
A survey by Goodwill Industries International Inc. shows 84% of consumers — especially Generation Z buyers — turn to thrift stores for recyclable materials that can be used for their Halloween costumes. Most Gen Z consumers — 65% — say they won’t spend a lot of money on costumes this year.
Shay Gipson, vice president of community engagement for Goodwill North Texas, said ideas for budget Halloween costumes were posted on the agency’s website in early October.
“We put some looks together for under $20,” she said. “When you’re going to the bigger, Halloween specialty stores, you’re spending $50, $60, sometimes $75, on a costume when you can really get an idea online or ask AI and then get those items from a Goodwill store.”
Clear plastic skulls line a shelf at the Goodwill store’s Bootique section, which is filled with Halloween items and accessories. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)
Goodwill stores are seeing more younger customers this year, which corresponds with the agency’s recent survey results, Gipson added. Those shoppers want to reduce their carbon footprint and donate their items back, she said.
“Our Halloween shopper is not your everyday Goodwill shopper,” she said. “These folks are coming in specifically because it’s the holiday season, and they want to get a great costume at a discount. It’s a newer group of people we don’t see all year long.”
Goodwill officials said about 69% of adults interested in assembling their own costumes turn to social media or DIY websites for inspiration. About 39% use AI to develop their own Halloween looks, according to their survey.
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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