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Halloween itself set a new visitation record, drawing 195,827 visitors on Saturday, October 31, a 38.9% increase over the 141,024 visitors recorded on Halloween 2025. The figure represents a remarkable 93.7% increase over Halloween 2022, when 101,083 visitors came to Salem. While these numbers show how popular Salem has become as a Halloween destination, breaking records isn’t how Destination Salem and the city measure success. Salem is a city of approximately 45,000 residents, and welcoming millions of visitors each year comes with both opportunities and challenges. This data assists with planning for future events, strengthening public safety measures, and better managing the impact of tourism on Salem. “We’re pleased to see such a strong October, especially as Salem celebrates its 400th anniversary,” said Ashley Judge, Executive Director of Destination Salem. “Of course, the calendar worked in our favor this year, with five Saturdays and Halloween itself falling on a Saturday. But I think it’s important to remember that we’re not chasing records or measuring success by how many more people we can bring to Salem each year. We study these numbers to understand visitation trends and make informed decisions about tourism. Our goal is to support our local economy and businesses while respecting the quality of life of the people who call Salem home.” The growth in Halloween visitation is particularly striking when viewed over a longer period. In 2019, when Halloween fell on a Thursday, Salem welcomed 80,708 visitors. Halloween visitation has since increased 142.6%, reflecting the growing popularity of Salem as a Halloween travel destination. The city’s strong October performance also contributed to an increase in visitation across the entire fall season. During September and October combined, often referred to locally as “Septober,” Salem welcomed 2,160,177 visitors, a 9.3% increase over 2025. The city recorded 4,693,259 visits during the two-month period, up 5.0% from the previous year. September visitation remained relatively consistent with 2025, with 788,348 visitors, a slight decrease of 0.2%, and 1,814,766 visits, down 2.3%. October’s substantial growth drove the overall increase for the two-month period. Halloween by the Numbers “It takes a lot to welcome millions of visitors to our city each year, and I’m extremely grateful to all of the City staff and community partners who make it possible for us to do so – and, of course, to the residents of Salem for their significant patience!” said Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo. “We’re able to share our important stories with visitors from around the world, but are also constantly striving to manage the impacts of that visitation on those of us who live here. We’re already at work reviewing how this past October season went and where we can make improvements and changes for next year. October in Salem is, from City Hall’s perspective, first and foremost a public safety operation, and that’s the lens through which we’ll continue to approach our planning for the season. Happy November!” Salem’s Halloween celebrations concluded with no arrests on Halloween night, reflecting extensive planning and coordination among the city’s public safety departments, municipal staff, businesses, and community partners. “The Salem Police Department took four people into protective custody during Halloween night celebrations, but made no arrests,” said Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller. “This is a testament to the extensive preparations with which Salem marks every October. It also reflects the respectful behavior of our visitors, and we are grateful. Happy November!” October 2026 Visitation Highlights
For the full report, visit https://www.salem.org/ Source: Placer.ai. Destination Salem previously measured visitation within a defined downtown study area. This report uses the full Salem ZIP code (01970), which may result in higher figures than those published in previous years. All year-over-year comparisons use the same geographic boundaries. Image caption: Essex Street in Salem during Halloween 2026. High-resolution image available HERE. About Salem Haunted Happenings About Destination Salem |
SALEM — Destination Salem announced today that the city of Salem, Massachusetts, welcomed a record-breaking 1,592,896 visitors during October 2026, an 11.9% increase over the previous year, according to data from Placer.ai. The milestone represents nearly 170,000 additional visitors compared with October 2025 and marks another extraordinary year for Salem’s internationally renowned Haunted Happenings celebration.Related Posts
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