Is Halloween the new Christmas? Sure seems like it in Texas, which just earned top-5 status in a new study of the U.S. states that are the most into the Halloween spirit.

When it comes to doing up the spookiest holiday of the year, the Lone Star State comes in as the third-most Halloween-obsessed state in America.

The report by outdoor furniture retailer Backyard Oasis ranked all 50 states based on an analysis of search results for Halloween costumes, decor, candy, haunted houses, upcoming Halloween events, and more. State populations were also factored into the rankings to ensure the scores were “accurately comparable.”

Texas ranked No. 3 with a composite score of 48.16 points, beat only by California who ruled the list at No. 1, and New York which came in at No. 2, earning gilded costume crowns as the top two most Halloween-enthusiastic states.

According to the study’s data, Texas is home to 47 haunted houses. The state has more than 75 Spirit Halloween stores in 2024, including nearly 30 in DFW, a dozen in Houston, half a dozen in Austin, and four in San Antonio.

Austinites have plenty of Halloween events to choose from, including a night out at one of many themed bars or artsy showcases. Looking outside of Austin, there are approximately 3,000 Halloween-related events happening all around the state in October.

Many trick-or-treaters dream of getting full size candy bars for Halloween, but in a surprising twist, the study found that the most popular Halloween candy in Texas is actually Sour Patch Kids. The sour-then-sweet candy is also highly popular in New York and Illinois, the report says.

Here’s how Backyard Oasis broke down the rest of Texas’ score:

• 9,314,440 – Halloween costume searches in October 2023
• 1,168,320 – Halloween decoration searches
• 445,670 – Halloween candy searches

Backyard Oasis CEO Andy Wu said in the report that the spirit of Halloween isn’t just about giving out candy or dressing up in fun costumes, it’s about sharing in a “tradition that sparks creativity and joy across the U.S.”

“Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year, bringing people together through creativity and celebration,” said Wu. “It’s amazing to see how different states embrace the holiday in their own unique ways, from massive costume searches to thrilling haunted houses.”

The top 10 most Halloween-obsessed states are:

• No. 1 – California
• No. 2 – New York
• No. 3 – Texas
• No. 4 – Florida
• No. 5 – Illinois
• No. 6 – Ohio
• No. 7 – Pennsylvania
• No. 8 – Indiana
• No. 9 – Michigan
• No. 10 – Massachusetts

The least spooky state in the U.S. is Wyoming, which came in at No. 50, joined by nearby states Montana and South Dakota. New Mexico (No. 46) and Vermont (No. 47) were the other two states on the list’s bottom five.

The full report can be found on backyardoas.com.

Firms Begins their Second Development Project in the 55+ Market

HOUSTON, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — AOG Living has broken ground on their second active adult community, Novum Capitol View in Austin, Texas, adding an additional 168 units to its growing development portfolio across the nation.

Developed by AOG Living and financed by CBRE, Novum Capitol View is slated for completion in late 2025. The 55+ luxury community is located at 9009 Capitol View Drive in Southeast Austin and offers a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Designed by architects Humphreys & Partners, the community will offer amenities such as weekly programming and activities, saltwater pool, dog park, community gardens, putting green, grilling station, yoga/aerobics room, hair/nail salon, fitness center, multi-purpose activity room, theater and game lounge, and air-conditioned storage units. AOG Living will also provide management for Novum Capitol View.

“We’re excited to leverage our experience in construction and development of Class A properties as well as our management experience of both Class A and senior living communities with our new, active adult community platform,” said Justin Hunt, Investment Associate at AOG Living.” AOG Living Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Rivas continued, “This project represents AOG Living’s ongoing expansion and dedication to serving diverse housing needs. We look forward to bringing our quality standards, community-driven values, and innovative property management as we expand our footprint in the Austin area.” For more information visit aogliving.com.

About AOG Living

AOG Living is a leading fully integrated, multifamily real estate investment, construction, and property management firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, with additional offices in Dallas and San Antonio. AOG Living has acquired, built, or developed more than 20,000 multifamily units with a total aggregate value of approximately $2.4 billion and has a growing portfolio of more than 35,000 apartment homes and 170+ properties under management throughout the nation. For more information, visit aogliving.com.

For More Information Contact:
Carrie Saks
[email protected]
713-622-5844

SOURCE AOG Living

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TEXAS – Strong early voting turnout continued on Wednesday, as more Central Texans opted to head to the polls ahead of Election Day. 

“It does look like this is going to be a relatively high turnout election in Texas,” said Joshua Blank with the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin. 

“Higher turnout is good because it means people are supporting the system,” said Dr. Brian Smith, a political science professor at St. Edward’s University. 

In Travis, Williamson and Hays Counties, significantly more people turned out in the first week of early voting this year, compared to 2020. Although COVID and population growth affect that comparison, there’s no doubt this year’s numbers are high. 

“This has been such a nasty, divisive election at the presidential level that people have made up their mind, and they want to cast their votes sooner rather than later,” said Smith. 

In Texas, some experts say that could spell an advantage for Republicans. 

“So far, the data from early voting indicates that significantly more voters with a Republican primary voting history have voted than voters with a Democratic primary voting history. And that gap is unlikely to be erased,” said Blank. 

Part of that equation could be people turning out who haven’t voted in a while. 

“There’s been a lot of discussion lately about Trump’s ability to turn out low-propensity voters, people who are unlikely to vote, and his appeal among these voters,” said Blank. 

MORE ELECTION 2024 COVERAGE

Other factors could help Democrats, though. Looking at Travis County, more young people and first-time voters are making their voices heard this year, with 18- to 25-year-olds showing the largest increase in registration. 

“When we look at first time voters, this often helps the Democrats. They tend to do better with younger voters or voters who are new to the system,” said Smith. 

In its latest poll, the Texas Politics Project delved into what issues are motivating Texans to show up. 

“Voters told us that the economy and prices were driving them to the polls. This is an issue that most voters feel on a daily basis,” said Blank. “Abortion remains a concern, but more so for Democratic voters.”

That same poll showed former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by five points in the presidential race in Texas. In the race for U.S. Senate, it showed Sen. Ted Cruz, leading Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred by seven points. 

“There’s no indication in our polling or any of the other polling at this point, along with what we’ve seen in early voting turnout to date indicate a Democratic surprise here in Texas,” said Blank. 

Eight early voting locations in Travis County will have extended hours Thursday and Friday. They’ll be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the last two days of early voting. Those locations are:

Austin Permitting and Development Center 

• Ben Hur Shrine 
• Carver Branch Library
• Lakeway Activity Center
• Pflugerville Rock Gym
• Southpark Meadows 
• Travis County Clerk
• UT Union