Superheroes are More Popular than Princesses with Americans this Halloween

Princesses have traditionally been the number-one seller when it comes to Hallwoeen costumes for kids, but according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, superheroes are taking the crown this year. 3 million children are planning to get superhero costumes for this Halloween. The amount dressing as princesses lags behind at 2.9 million.

The top costume for children is an action or superhero costume. The second most common choice is a princess costume. The third most common choice is an animal costume.

Millenials are also very into superheroes, specifically Batman characters. 9% of millenials are planning to dress as a Batman-related character for Halloween. The second most popular costume is the traditional witch costume, which 6.1% of millenials will be wearing. Adults 18-34 and children have the same type of costume for their third choice- animal costumes.

Adults of over 35 are the only ones who don't have superheroes as their top choice. Their top pick is the traditional witch costume and the equally traditional pirate is second place. Weirdly, politician is the third most popular costume choice. Batman costumes are all the way down at the fifth ranking.

The costumes picks also show that Marvel superheroes are less popular with older adults than they are with millenials. Both Marvel and DC superheroes (Batman notwithstanding) are tied for fourth place in the millenial costume ranking. But for adults 35 and above, non-Batman DC heroes are in seventh place, tied with Star Wars characters. Marvel superheroes lag behind in 10th place.

This discrepancy is likely due to the fact DC had more movies out than Marvel when over-35s were kids (and the oldest adults were kids before Marvel really became a thing, period.) Meanwhile millenials experienced the Marvel movie boom when they were young, putting them right up there in prominence with DC.

Overall, Americans are expected to spend $3.1 billion on Halloween costumes this year. 61.7% of those celebrating Halloween will be buying costumes.

While princesses have been dethroned, we don't know if the survey accounted for those dressing up as superheroes who double as princesses, like Wonder Woman and Sailor Moon. What do you think of the data? Are superheroes here to stay?