Halloween has become a holiday that is really just about having a good time. Dressing up in crazy costumes, playing some tricks, eating a few treats. What's not to love?
We all know that most of what makes Halloween great is having the right ambiance, and when your surroundings don't set the right mood, it can be a total buzzkill. Some American cities are just better suited for monster mashes than others.
Thankfully, we have now scientifically determined where you probably should and shouldn't spend your Halloween this year. Wallet Hub found the best and worst cities in which to celebrate Halloween. The personal finance social network looked at the 100 most populated cities in the U.S. and ranked them based on three criteria: "Entertainment Environment & Safety" (includes percentage of the population under 14 and crime rate), "Parties & Activities" (includes average price paid per Halloween party ticket and number of Halloween costume stores per capita) and "Weather Forecast for Halloween" (includes difference between the average forecasted temperature for Halloween and ideal temperature).
Here are the top 10 best cities for celebrating Halloween:
1. St. Paul, Minn.
2. Minneapolis, Minn.
3. Dallas, Texas
4. Santa Ana, Calif.
5. Irving, Texas
6. Garland, Texas
7. Chandler, Ariz.
8. Denver, Colo.
9. Arlington, Texas
10. Las Vegas, Nev.
Look at you, Minnesota, taking the top two spots on this list. While it may seem kind of odd that the Twin Cities would rank so highly for Halloween, especially when you consider the harsh weather that sometimes plagues the region in late fall and winter, it actually makes perfect sense that St. Paul and Minneapolis would reign supreme.
Less than 30 miles north of the Twin Cities is Anoka, Minn., which is known as "The Halloween Capital of the World." It is believed to be the first city in the U.S. to put on a Halloween celebration so that young whipper-snappers wouldn't get into pranks during a holiday known for its mischief. To this day, the Twin Cities must be a nice, wholesome place to celebrate Halloween that also has some pretty major celebrations.
And here's the top 10 worst cities for celebrating Halloween:
1. Winston-Salem, N.C.
2. Jacksonville, Fla.
3. Nashville, Tenn.
4. Anchorage, Alaska
5. Detroit, Mich.
6. Durham, N.C.
7. Stockton, Calif.
8. Toledo, Ohio
9. Charlotte, N.C.
10. Kansas City, Mo.
It's not quite clear why Winston-Salem, N.C. would be such a bad place for your Halloween festivities. The city has a famous historic area called Old Salem that really seems to get into the Halloween spirit. But then again, when you share a name with Salem, Mass., known for the infamous Witch Trials of the late 1600s and its reputation as a spooky city, you can't really compete with that.
Head over to Wallet Hub for the full list of cities and so much data, it's scary.
