Were there fewer trick-or-treaters during Halloween 2023? It sure seemed like that to some.

The topic was discussed on internet news site Reddit with one person responding to the question "Why does it seem like less kids trick or treat these days?" saying, "Yea it was a low count this year. Really disappointed."

Another responder posted, "Times have changed." But not all agreed: "I actually had more kids than usual show up this year and last year. I had to turn off the light because we ran out of candy."

Cold weather, with some states issuing freeze warnings, might have scared off some trick-or-treaters. Many communities host trick-or-treating events, which can cut into the door-to-door quests for candy, too.

"Halloween landed on a Tuesday, which is hard for kids with school the next day. This year, we also experienced ... high inflation rates, hitting many people hard, bringing up the cost of Halloween costumes, décor and candy," Grace Bastidas, editor-in-chief of Parents.com, told USA TODAY. "Still, I think parents got creative to celebrate."  

Three-fourths say fewer trick-or-treaters came in 2023

Echoing observations about a decline in trick-or-treating: an admittedly unscientific USA TODAY online poll found about three-fourths (74%) of more than 17,000 respondents said they had fewer trick-or-treaters come to their home this year.

Similarly, smart home tech company Vivint deemed trick-or-treating activity on Tuesday as "low," with the average number of trick-or-treaters per home at fewer than two (1.95), based on an informal survey of its doorbell camera clips recorded across the U.S. (total clips recorded: 150,904,850).

Some states including Hawaii, Maine, Louisiana, Vermont and West Virginia got even fewer, averaging lower than 1 trick-or-treater, according to Vivint. Utah had the highest average, at nearly 5, the company found.

The company couldn't easily compare 2023 trick-or-treating activity to previous years because of a change in data collection but said, "some homeowners on social media are noting they’ve seen a clear decline in trick-or-treaters, and there are several external factors that might explain this trend," in a statement to USA TODAY.

But Bastidas doesn't agree with these conclusions. "While Halloween celebrations varied by location and age group, this year trick-or-treating was back in full force," she said. In New York City, Bastidas said she saw more trick-or-treaters this Halloween than since before the pandemic.

"We saw kids in costume, hopping around their neighborhoods collecting candy," she said. "So, it seems that the Halloween spirit lives on, especially in big cities like my hometown."

Could the weather have interfered with trick-or-treating?

Temperatures across most of the country were colder than average, said Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with Accuweather. "Most of the country east of the Rockies, temperatures were below normal. The exception is maybe Florida," he said.

And other than the Great Lakes region, there was not much precipitation, Kines said. "Would below normal temperatures keep kids from going? I know many many moons ago, back in the Stone Age when I was trick-or-treating, I didn't care if it was cold," he said.

After Halloween:What can you do with leftover candy? Try these 4 delicious recipes, to start

Has 'trunk-or-treating' cut into 'trick-or-treating'?

Both Bastidas and Vivint referenced trunk-or-treating as a possible reason it seems door-to-door trick-or-treating seems to be in decline. The original idea was to bring together a bunch of vehicles – and their respective drivers and passengers – and the cars, trucks or vans would be decorated and kids could visit each for candy.

Trunk-or-treating isn't new. It goes back at least three decades, with a 1994 article in The Birmingham News citing a gathering at the Hilldale Baptist Church of Center Point, Alabama, according to NPR.

Over the years, it's become a way for organizations, schools or communities to come together at a gathering place where children can trick-or-treat safely.

All across the U.S. there were reports of special events on Tuesday – and leading up to the Halloween holiday – with many trunk-or-treating celebrations:

• Scores of families brought children to a trunk-or-treat event outside Christenberry Fieldhouse at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia, before the women's volleyball game on Halloween night.
• Similarly, children were treated to candy at a trunk-or-treat event at the Concord Academy of Petosky, Michigan.
• And the Bristol (Virginia) Police Department hosted a trunk-or-treat with the local fire and sheriff's departments joining in, local NBC-TV station WCYB reported.
• In Byesville, Ohio, the Calvary Baptist Church's annual trunk-or-treat event was part of the city's festivities.
• The Pueblo (Colorado) Regional Center held its 2nd annual Community Sensory Trunk-or-Treat event, with allergy and sensory-friendly activities for children and adults with disabilities and special medical needs. 

Trunk-or-treating is "more prevalent in suburban neighborhoods where there’s more space," Bastidas said. "Social media could certainly play a factor in its popularity, as families like to show off how they decked out their cars. Some parents like that they’re able to keep close tabs on their kids, since they’re just moving between parked cars for candy. I see it as another fun way to create new Halloween traditions the whole family can enjoy."

Trick-or-treating decline: Been predicted for years

So, were there fewer trick-or-treaters in Halloween 2023? We may never really know. But the idea of trick-or-treating on the decline is not a new one.

There was an obvious pause in trick-or-treating during the COVID-19 pandemic. But even before that, back in 2018, The Atlantic looked at the practice and surmised "it seems like the tradition of going door-to-door demanding candy is not quite what it used to be for many U.S. families."

In the article, journalist Julie Beck looked at how trunk-or-treating and organized events at business and community centers made the whole practice easier for parents – and eased parents' safety concerns, too.

“If you’re just an average person who doesn’t have kids and you’re observing your neighborhood, you might see fewer trick-or-treaters than you used to,” Lesley Bannatyne, the author of several books on the history of Halloween, told The Atlantic then. “Because they’re going somewhere else.”

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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