These Are the Most Haunted States in America, Based on Paranormal Activity

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Updated on August 23, 2022

Whether you consider yourself to be an amateur ghostbuster or just enjoy the tricks and treats associated with Halloween, there are 10 states that offer more haunted happenings than any other places in the country. According to a 2020 report by Slotsource.com and findings by Ghosts of America, the spookiest states in America are Texas and California.

From 2005 to 2020, there were a total of 6,845 sightings in Texas (approximately 456 sightings each year!) and 6,440 in California. With over 28.7 million residents in Texas, that means that only .0238 percent of the population has said they've seen a ghost.

Jackson Square New Orleans — SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

If that's just a bit too scary for you, consider visiting Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois, each of which has about 2,000 paranormal sightings a year. Those states are followed by Indiana, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New York, and Virginia, all of which have had between 1,000 to 2,000 sightings in the last 15 years. However, if you consider yourself to be a scaredy cat, then you should stay put in either Delaware or Puerto Rico, which have the least amount of paranormal sightings.

There may be some science behind why certain people claim to see ghosts. First and foremost, you have to believe that this activity is real. "Believers are a lot more likely to report anomalous sensations, and they're also more likely to conclude that those sensations indicate a ghostly presence," Chris French, head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, told Popular Science.

Other explanations for ghost sightings may be as simple as being in the wrong place at the wrong time or mind-trickery or something as deep as a way for the brain to deal with traumatic or confusing events. Next time you spot something mischievous, share your story with Ghosts of America, which keeps tabs on the eeriest happenings in each state.

The Most Haunted States in America:

According to SlotSource.com, these are the top 20 states in the U.S. for a haunted experience. We've also highlighted the estimated ghost sightings in each location.