2024's Spookiest Cities Report

Key takeaways

• Searches for "ghost city near me" are up 86% in the last year.
• Estes Park, Colorado; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Stowe, Vermont, are the spookiest cities in the U.S.
• The top three cities with the highest number of ghost sightings are Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Uncovering the spookiest places in the U.S.

From ghostly legends to eerie encounters, certain places in the U.S. seem to draw the supernatural like moths to a flame. Our study explores these spooky destinations by analyzing things like ghost sightings, haunted places, and supernatural readings across the country. We also factored in online search trends and surveyed over 1,000 Americans to determine the ultimate destinations for a spine-tingling adventure this Halloween season.

Spooky search trends on the rise

Curiosity about eerie destinations is growing as Americans' online searches for nearby haunted attractions are increasing.

Our study uncovered some chilling trends over the last year. Searches for "ghost city near me" skyrocketed by 86%, showing how much interest in ghostly adventures has grown. "Haunted houses near me" was also searched 3.65 million times in the U.S. in the last year, while searches for "haunted hotels near me" went up 55%. It's clear that many thrill-seekers are on the hunt for haunted hotspots and hair-raising experiences.

The spookiest states and cities in the U.S.

Some states seem to attract more paranormal activity than others. Our ranking below equally weighs two key factors: the number of reported ghost sightings and the number of haunted places. By analyzing these variables, we've uncovered the spookiest states in the U.S. that you can visit in 2024 for a truly haunting experience.

This year, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania are the top three spookiest states. California continues to dominate with the most haunted places, maintaining its top spot from 2023. The state is home to infamous haunted locations, such as the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, a mansion with architectural oddities believed to be designed to confuse spirits. There's also the Queen Mary in Long Beach, a historic ocean liner that has become a hotspot for paranormal enthusiasts.

Texas holds the record for the most ghost sightings, a title it also held last year. The Lone Star State is known for its rich history and eerie tales, including ghostly legends tied to locations like the Alamo in San Antonio, where visitors have reported seeing apparitions of soldiers from the historic battle. Another notable haunted site is the Excelsior House Hotel in East Texas, which has been the subject of countless ghost stories and paranormal investigations.

Next, we narrowed our view to city rankings.

Estes Park, Colorado, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, once again ranked in the top two spots as the spookiest cities in the U.S. Stowe, Vermont, which made a dramatic leap from 10th place in 2023 to third this year, rounds out the top three cities. This jump is largely due to Stowe's ranking in supernatural readings per 100,000 residents, where it surged from ninth place in 2023 to first in 2024. Austin, Texas, which previously held third place, has now slipped to fifth in the rankings.

Creepiest cities by category

The following rankings break down the spookiest cities across several categories, revealing where paranormal activity and Halloween spirit are at their peak.

When it comes to spectral encounters, Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, lead the way with the highest number of reported ghost sightings. But if you're searching for the cities with the most haunted places, you'll find the highest numbers in:

• Los Angeles, California
• San Antonio, Texas
• Honolulu, Hawaii

As for Halloween travel plans, our survey revealed that these cities are Americans' top five destinations for a spooky adventure this year:

1. Chicago, Illinois
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
3. Washington, D.C.
4. San Francisco, California
5. San Antonio, Texas

Whether you're planning to chase ghosts or join All Hallows' Eve festivities, you're likely to find like-minded visitors in these cities.

Haunted house demand on the rise

Surprisingly, many Americans are open to sharing their home with a ghostly roommate year-round. This section is all about haunted house demand in the U.S., plus some first-hand accounts of close encounters caught on camera.

According to our survey, 43% of Americans who planned to buy a home in 2024 were open to purchasing a haunted house. And for many, the paranormal isn't just a curiosity—it's a lived experience.

Nearly 1 in 10 Americans reported witnessing ghostly activity on a security camera in the past year. One respondent's motion detector was repeatedly triggered with no visible cause, while another's indoor security camera picked up strange sounds and orb-like images. Others recounted seeing shadowy, human-like figures at night.

This fascination with the supernatural runs deeper, as 1 in 10 Americans believed they'd actually lived in a haunted house—suggesting the line between the real and the paranormal may be thinner than we imagine.

What makes a city truly spooky?

As Halloween approaches, our study highlights the top haunted destinations for thrill-seekers across the U.S. From spooky cities like Gettysburg and Stowe to a rise in supernatural sightings caught on security cameras, there's no shortage of eerie experiences to explore. Whether you're planning a haunted road trip or simply curious about ghostly hotspots, these rankings offer the ultimate guide to the spookiest places in 2024.

Methodology

We examined a few specific variables to find the scariest and most haunted places in the U.S. For state rankings, we equally weighed two variables: the number of reported ghost sightings and the number of reported haunted places. For our city rankings, we considered the following factors:

• Number of ghost sightings
• Number of haunted places
• Supernatural readings per 100,000 people
• Funeral services per 100,000 people
• Haunted house attractions per 100,000 people
• Spiritual shops per 100,000 people

Keyword trend searches from the U.S. in the last 12 months were included. We also surveyed 1,001 Americans. Among them, 50% were men, 49% were women, and 1% identified as non-binary.

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