Atlanta ranks No. 15 among best trick-or-treat cities

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Have you ever wondered which trick-or-treaters score the most loot on Halloween? Me neither.

But the little pumpkins, princesses and vampires around Atlanta can rest easy. A study released Monday by Zillow.com names Atlanta as the No. 15 best city for trick or treating. And it's the only city in the Southeast to make the list.

Sure, the costumes are fun. But for most kids, the night is all about one thing. Candy.

The study finds that to score the most candy, the costume cuties will have to head west. Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, San Jose and Denver top the list. Eleven of the 20 cities on the list are in the west.

It's not just the wealthy cities that are the best for tricks or treats, the Seattle-based real estate website says. The study is based on a combination of data that includes a home value index, population density, a "walk score" and local crime data.

The key for candy seekers, according to the study, is to target densely populated neighborhoods that allow parents and kids to hit a lot of homes quickly.

The website plans to release neighborhood-specific data leading up to the big night.