New Jersey Near the Top 10 of This Local Halloween Business List

Throughout the Garden State, we talk about supporting local businesses. “Shop local” is the slogan and chant we hear all the time in New Jersey. But, compared to the rest of the country, it was interesting to learn where we rank.

In the United States alone, there are 33.2 million small businesses, with a record-breaking 5.4 million new applications being submitted in 2021. This study looks at which states lead the way in creating and making handmade products.

The folks at EmpireStakes took a dive into Etsy. If you're not familiar, it's a global marketplace where people come together to make, sell, buy, and collect unique homemade items.

The data reveals the number of makers selling Halloween costumes, decorations, and more. The data was then divided by the population to find the state doing the most to avoid those big brands, and supporting the local creators.

Oregon comes out on top for handmade Halloween costumes, props, and decorations in 2023.

The Beaver State takes the top spot with 3,566 costume listings, 1,743 decoration listings, and 28,145 Halloween-related listings on Etsy. They ranked the data across all four categories including the number of businesses in Oregon. The state scored 30.1 out of 40. That makes it the number one state for creators and makers in the country.

Colorado was ranked as the most business-friendly state in America in 2023. It ranks 8th among the best states for sellers around Halloween this year. With 2,928 costumes for sale and 1,556 decorations, the state overall has 32,040 Halloween-related items listed currently. When indexed across its populations the state scored 21.3 out of 40.

Other states that ranked high included Utah at number two. Idaho landed at number three, and Nevada took the fourth spot on the list.

So where did New Jersey land on the list? New Jersey barely missed the top 10 by ranking 11^th on the list. We were just behind New York at 10. We have 2,647 costume listings and 1,743 decoration listings.

New Jersey residents and businesses are being asked by the Murphy Administration to conserve water as of today (July 26). As we all know, the sate has been experiencing a persistent period of hot and dry weather.

Although the weather conditions have not significantly impacted the state as of yet, it is important that residents and businesses start to take proactive steps to help moderate their use of water.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been closely monitoring the drier than usual conditions this summer and want to help ensure that there are ample supplies throughout the summer.

"Now is the time for New Jersey to be especially mindful of water usage and proactively moderate our consumption,” said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette in a press release. “Although our reservoirs and other indicators are healthy, persistent hot and dry weather coupled with the high water demands of summer can quickly impact water supply. Simple steps, like reducing lawn and landscape watering, go a long way in preserving our water supplies and avoiding the necessity of significant restrictive measures.”

Scroll below to see the 10 simple steps you can take to save water this summer or visit www.njdrought.org for the most up-to-date information.

Water your landscaping with water harvested in a rain barrel connected to a downspout.

Use 30-50% less water with drip irrigation and micro-sprays compared to sprinklers.

Only water when needed, in NJ most landscapes need only 1 inch of water per week.

Purchase a water saving filter if you are a pool owner.

Cover your pool when not in use to reduce evaporation rates.

Avoid recreational toys that require a constant stream of water.

Raise your lawnmower blade to at least 3 inches to promote deeper grass roots which holds water better.

Use water from dehumidifiers and air conditioners to water your plants.

Use native plants that need less water.

Group plants together based on water needs.