The 20 Most Family-Friendly Cities for Halloween in 2016

Halloween became one of my favorite holidays — but only until after I had kids.

The whole season starts as soon as the candy corn hits the shelves (so…September) and every weekend is full of spirited fun as you work your way up to the big night. And between attending fall festivals, picking pumpkins, planning costumes and trick-or-treating, Halloween is more than just a night: it’s a season.

So, when ranking the best cities, we at Care.com wanted to focus on what Halloween spirit is to families: a fun season and a safe night.

In order to come up with the best (and worst) cities for families this Halloween, we took a look at the top 100 metro areas* and analyzed:

The percentage of their populations under the age of 15;
Their crime rates;
The timing of sunset;
The average temperature there on October 31st;
The number of Halloween stores that they have; and,
The density of owner-occupied homes.

We then weighted this data with a “Halloween Spirit” score, which was comprised of the number of haunted houses, pumpkin patches, fall festivals, etc., that are available in those areas. (See our full methodology below.)

Topping our list are Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago. At the bottom are Albany, NY, Birmingham, AL, and the worst city for Halloween this year…Spokane, WA.

For tips on creating your own Halloween fun — including DIY costumes, safety tips, recipes and crafts — go to Care.com/Halloween!

Halloween Index From Best to Worst by Metro

Note: The values below can range from 0 to 500, with 0 being the worst score and 500 being the best. On each score, the average across all cities is 250, and every 100 points above or below represents one standard deviation from the mean.

Kids Score: % of population under 15
Crime Score: City-data crime index
Retail Score: Number of Halloween stores
Density Score: Owner-occupied housing units per square mile
“Halloween Spirit” Score: Number of Funtober events
Weather Score: Sunset time on Oct. 31 and average temperature on Oct. 31

Halloween Index Rank	City Name	Kids Score	Crime Score	Retail Score	Density Score	Halloween Spirit Score	Weather Score	Overall Family-Friendly Halloween Score
1	Los Angeles, CA	231.0	369.1	500.0	458.5	434.0	271.0	377.3
2	New York, NY	200.0	385.7	500.0	490.3	361.4	177.8	352.5
3	Chicago, IL	265.8	253.7	500.0	429.4	500.0	163.6	352.1
4	Dallas, TX	366.5	272.1	488.4	281.2	330.2	346.9	347.5
5	Atlanta, GA	316.1	138.5	411.9	308.3	500.0	333.0	334.6
6	Houston, TX	374.2	187.5	377.9	263.3	299.1	358.2	310.0
7	San Jose, CA	254.2	431.1	292.8	341.2	267.9	259.5	307.8
8	McAllen, TX	500.0	408.7	233.3	189.6	75.8	432.3	306.6
9	Fairfield, CT	250.3	446.8	190.8	500.0	267.9	146.2	300.3
10	Tampa, FL	145.8	369.8	292.8	344.3	226.4	415.1	299.0
11	Provo, UT	500.0	424.3	199.3	151.2	242.0	230.3	291.2
12	Philadelphia, PA	207.7	205.2	403.4	338.7	371.7	195.0	286.9
13	Ogden, UT	500.0	284.6	182.3	322.2	216.0	214.2	286.6
14	Washington, DC	242.6	172.0	394.9	388.4	288.7	230.1	286.1
15	Phoenix, AZ	316.1	284.6	428.9	194.3	252.3	237.8	285.7
16	Miami, FL	153.5	187.6	335.3	425.0	179.7	428.0	284.9
17	San Diego, Ca	215.5	405.8	352.3	220.8	236.8	260.7	282.0
18	Boston, MA	149.7	328.1	284.3	396.9	402.9	124.9	281.1
19	San Antonio, TX	331.6	241.5	241.8	264.7	210.8	395.0	280.9
20	Boise City, ID	362.6	416.3	216.3	238.2	174.5	253.8	276.9
21	Denver, CO	273.5	309.8	326.8	231.2	356.2	153.9	275.2
22	Portland, OR	223.2	285.8	275.8	211.1	475.6	170.3	273.6
23	El Paso, TX	420.6	396.2	207.8	238.2	101.8	274.0	273.1
24	New Haven, CT	165.1	203.6	199.3	488.2	428.8	146.6	271.9
25	Austin, TX	289.0	323.1	216.3	230.2	195.2	377.5	271.9
26	Grand Rapids, MI	292.9	385.4	207.8	267.5	226.4	245.9	271.0
27	Salt Lake City, UT	436.1	166.4	301.3	304.1	190.1	224.8	270.5
28	Charlotte, NC	292.9	319.9	199.3	250.1	273.1	286.2	270.2
29	Seattle, WA	207.7	237.8	284.3	227.8	500.0	161.4	269.8
30	Sacramento, CA	254.2	325.2	335.3	183.9	262.7	247.1	268.1
31	Orlando, FL	211.6	223.3	258.8	270.9	231.6	400.3	266.1
32	Indianapolis, IN	312.3	125.7	233.3	237.3	392.5	289.8	265.2
33	Cincinnati, OH	269.7	174.7	284.3	280.3	304.3	275.3	264.8
34	Columbus, OH	273.5	261.6	241.8	214.8	330.2	258.5	263.4
35	Providence, RI	145.8	302.0	258.8	391.3	351.0	129.7	263.1
36	Minneapolis, MN	273.5	196.6	250.3	259.6	434.0	142.0	259.3
37	Sarasota, FL	37.4	308.1	199.3	425.2	158.9	419.9	258.1
38	San Francisco, CA	153.5	236.8	301.3	208.3	371.7	261.9	255.6
39	Akron, OH	165.1	233.9	190.8	275.7	434.0	220.0	253.3
40	Charleston, SC	227.1	437.4	182.3	164.2	169.3	332.7	252.2
41	Las Vegas, NV	269.7	308.6	267.3	147.0	299.1	218.4	251.7
42	Ventura, CA	269.7	342.9	190.8	183.4	257.5	264.2	251.4
43	Virginia Beach, VA	227.1	315.6	207.8	297.4	200.4	241.3	248.3
44	Jacksonville, FL	227.1	272.1	216.3	213.3	158.9	378.8	244.4
45	Omaha, NE	327.7	282.9	216.3	206.6	210.8	212.8	242.8
46	Fresno, CA	432.3	307.0	216.3	129.0	127.8	243.0	242.6
47	Kansas City, MO	300.6	173.8	275.8	195.0	257.5	240.8	240.6
48	Oklahoma City, OK	296.8	233.5	250.3	169.8	184.9	306.1	240.2
49	Lakeland, FL	227.1	270.8	190.8	174.2	164.1	410.3	239.6
50	Madison, WI	188.4	394.6	182.3	217.1	330.2	120.9	238.9
51	Cleveland, OH	196.1	52.7	267.3	332.7	340.6	239.2	238.1
52	Detroit, MI	223.2	0.0	369.4	288.7	309.5	229.7	236.7
53	Bakersfield, CA	443.9	311.2	207.8	122.2	86.2	246.0	236.2
54	Des Moines, IA	323.9	292.1	182.3	186.1	242.0	188.7	235.8
55	Baltimore, MD	207.7	94.1	258.8	322.3	299.1	228.3	235.1
56	New Orleans, LA	223.2	215.4	207.8	210.7	231.6	316.1	234.1
57	Melbourne, FL	83.8	368.0	182.3	235.1	133.0	398.2	233.4
58	Winston-Salem, NC	238.7	232.0	190.8	193.5	283.5	260.1	233.1
59	Worcester, MA	192.2	289.1	199.3	372.0	216.0	126.6	232.5
60	Richmond, VA	207.7	299.4	250.3	193.8	200.4	242.4	232.3
61	Pittsburgh, PA	103.2	294.8	258.8	254.5	262.7	218.9	232.2
62	Greenville, SC	231.0	282.3	182.3	194.5	190.1	305.8	231.0
63	Stockton, CA	393.6	132.6	199.3	179.4	221.2	249.9	229.3
64	Wichita Falls, TX	343.2	313.6	182.3	152.6	81.0	298.7	228.6
65	Nashville, TN	261.9	228.6	190.8	198.5	299.1	191.8	228.5
66	Durham, NC	192.2	247.0	182.3	274.8	221.2	250.8	228.0
67	Fort Myers, FL	99.3	250.6	199.3	294.8	96.6	426.1	227.8
68	Allentown, PA	180.6	314.3	216.3	229.9	247.2	170.1	226.4
69	Albuquerque, NM	258.1	183.9	224.8	268.4	200.4	220.5	226.0
70	Colorado Springs, CO	300.6	308.5	207.8	169.8	205.6	150.9	223.9
71	Greensboro, NC	219.3	334.5	190.8	187.4	138.1	266.2	222.7
72	Columbia, SC	223.2	246.3	182.3	221.2	138.1	315.7	221.1
73	Hartford, CT	161.3	211.0	224.8	285.2	293.9	136.3	218.7
74	Baton Rouge, LA	265.8	218.7	182.3	215.7	112.2	306.5	216.9
75	Dayton, OH	200.0	169.9	233.3	209.1	231.6	256.9	216.8
76	Milwaukee, WI	258.1	150.8	190.8	277.1	299.1	122.9	216.5
77	Scranton, PA	114.8	390.8	207.8	150.5	267.9	159.4	215.2
78	Tulsa, OK	300.6	200.6	182.3	147.1	164.1	289.2	214.0
79	Knoxville, TN	169.0	194.4	190.8	176.3	205.6	307.2	207.2
80	Harrisburg, PA	172.9	191.9	190.8	170.1	325.0	190.0	206.8
81	Syracuse, NY	184.5	257.7	199.3	166.3	247.2	154.3	201.5
82	Youngstown, OH	145.8	213.3	207.8	235.0	190.1	210.4	200.4
83	Deltona, FL	68.4	178.2	182.3	237.8	148.5	387.0	200.4
84	Toledo, OH	219.3	138.1	199.3	198.5	195.2	231.4	197.0
85	Jackson, MS	300.6	120.2	182.3	156.4	148.5	270.5	196.4
86	Little Rock, AR	269.7	50.9	190.8	157.7	236.8	268.8	195.8
87	Springfield, MA	145.8	197.0	199.3	309.8	190.1	128.4	195.1
88	Tucson, AZ	203.9	216.9	258.8	128.7	153.7	205.9	194.7
89	Memphis, TN	316.1	6.5	190.8	212.9	179.7	247.1	192.2
90	Rochester, NY	172.9	227.6	199.3	187.9	195.2	163.6	191.1
91	Buffalo, NY	145.8	129.3	199.3	267.7	210.8	180.8	189.0
92	St. Louis, MO	223.2	5.1	224.8	224.2	257.5	196.8	188.6
93	Albany, NY	141.9	292.2	199.3	162.7	210.8	124.3	188.5
94	Birmingham, AL	246.4	32.7	190.8	170.2	210.8	223.4	179.0
95	Spokane, WA	211.6	141.8	199.3	169.7	127.8	74.8	154.2

Methodology

Care.com took data from Funtober.com to aggregate Halloween Family Fun activities for the top 100 largest metro areas in the US*. This includes fall festivals; corn mazes; haunted houses; ghost tours; pumpkin patches; and Oktoberfests within a 50-mile radius**. The metro areas were then ranked using a combination of the “Halloween Spirit” rating; the number of Halloween stores within a 30-mile radius; the percentage of the population under 15; the average crime rate; the number of owner-occupied houses per square mile; and a weather score that included the average temperature and the time of sunset on October 31st. Each category was weighted equally in the overall metro-area ranking.