Forget chasing the American Dream – these states are straight out of a horror story. Using data on eerie cemeteries, unsolved murders, and abandoned ghost towns, MoveBuddha has revealed the most haunted places in the USA. Here's how each state ranks, from least to most chilling.
Click through this gallery to discover if your state is one of the most haunted in America...
Things don't seem to go bump in the night in Idaho, as MoveBuddha rated it as America's least spooky state. There are plenty of abandoned Wild West towns, however; pictured here is Bayhorse in Custer County, now part of Land of the Yankee Fork State Park. Here you’ll still find old ovens used for making charcoal, buildings along Main Street, and perhaps a spooky soul or two.
Minnesota might rank as the nation’s second-least haunted state, but it still has its shadows. In the state’s oldest city, Wabasha, you’ll find the Wabasha Street Caves – once sandstone mines, later a 1930s speakeasy favored by gangsters like John Dillinger. Today, you can take a guided tour through the tunnels, where tales of hauntings and mob-era murders linger in the dark.
Despite its low ranking, Hawaii's ancient, layered history means there's plenty of fodder for ghost stories. Consider, for example, Ulupo Heiau, a 1,000-year-old temple said to contain thousands of bones from human sacrifices. Specters are often also reported at Pearl Harbor, where thousands lost their lives on December 7, 1941.
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Did you know that Nevada has more historic mining camps and abandoned boomtowns than actual populated cities and towns? The sheer amount of silver and gold found here during the 19th century gave Nevada its nickname 'the Silver State' – but it left a host of forgotten areas in its wake, such as Rhyolite Ghost Town (pictured).
Though Colorado didn’t rank highly on this list, the Stanley Hotel (pictured) remains one of the most iconic haunted hotels in the world. Built in 1909 and once frequented by celebrities, it famously inspired Stephen King’s The Shining.
Guests can explore its eerie past on the Spirited Night Tour, a 60-minute walk through the hotel’s haunted history, or dive into literary lore on The Shining Tour, which highlights its connection to King’s chilling classic.
Arizona didn’t top the haunted rankings, but there are still plenty of places that might make you think twice. Take Gold King Mansion in Mohave County (pictured), an abandoned miners' quarters turned mansion. Long since deserted and heavily vandalized, it’s exactly the kind of place where unsettled spirits might still be nursing a grudge.
Iowa registers on the lower end of unsolved murder cases with around 817, but there are more than enough haunted places to give you the creeps. Pictured here is The Mathias Ham House, a 19th-century residence that's now a museum. It may be visitor-friendly, but it's said to be the most haunted place in Dubuque.
The federal disctrict of Washington DC has its share of eerie spots. One standout is the Dupont Underground (pictured), a former streetcar tunnel turned bomb shelter. Abandoned in the 1960s, it has since been revived as a creative arts venue, hosting exhibitions and performances – though a certain chill still lingers in the air.
With some 5,944 unsolved murder cases and multiple abandoned buildings, North Carolina isn’t somewhere you’d want to get lost after dark. Dare to stay at Asheville's Omni Grove Park Inn (pictured) and you might just see the spirit of the mysterious 'Pink Lady' roaming the corridors – she's also known to frequent room 545.
Though Utah ranks low on the haunted scale, it’s not without its shadows. In 1857, more than one hundred men, women, and children were killed by a Mormon militia in a series of attacks now known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Motives behind the tragedy remain murky to this day.
The site in Washington County is marked by a memorial. Some visitors claim to hear faint cries of those killed carried on the wind.
Nebraska really dials up the spook factor at Omaha's Museum of Shadows, a tourist attraction filled with more than 5,000 eerie artifacts, from creepy dolls to real human skulls.
Guests have reported paranormal experiences such as seeing apparitions, hearing disembodied voices, and feeling unexplained touches. Unsurprisingly, it’s known as one of the most haunted museums in the world.
Washington just edges into the USA's top 40 most haunted states, and Seattle has its share of spooky spots. Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, situated in the historic Butterworth Building – once the city's first mortuary – is a prime example.
Over the years, staff have reported eerie occurrences: mirrors shattering spontaneously, unexplained noises, and sightings of apparitions. Some say the ghosts are just regulars who never left.
One of Montana's most chilling spots is the Old Montana Prison (pictured), built in the 1870s and now operating as a museum. Visitors can explore the historic cell blocks and the ominous Death Tower on guided or self-guided tours – and for those brave enough, overnight experiences are available. Footsteps with no source, darting shadows, and unexplained sensations have all been reported within its walls.
It's New Jersey's cemeteries that push it into spot 38. Burlington was home to the state's first European settlement in 1624, and the grounds of the Burlington Quaker Meeting House are one of the state's oldest burial grounds.
Thrill seekers can also head southeast to Pine Barrens (pictured) – among the forested thickets you might spot legendary creature the Jersey Devil, with its bat wings and horse-like face.
The Shanghai Tunnels in Portland, Oregon (pictured) were originally used to transport goods in the 19th and early 20th centuries – but they’re more infamous for their role in 'shanghaiing', a practice where men were kidnapped and forced to work on ships bound for overseas.
Today, it's said the spirits of those victims still linger in the tunnels, their presence marked by distant whistles and fleeting shadows, and drawing ghost hunters like the one pictured.
Delaware is home to one of the oldest cities in the nation, with Lewes founded way back in 1631. The state’s first city is also home to its oldest cemetery, Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church Cemetery (pictured). The Nunez family are the oldest graves you’ll find here, with old slate stones dating from 1746.
Another state littered with haunting cemeteries, not-too-scary Wisconsin inches into 35th place. Green Bay is the state’s oldest city, established in 1634. And Forest Home Cemetery (pictured) – founded in the mid-19th century – is among the state’s creepiest and oldest burial sites.
Charleston is known as one of America’s most haunted cities, though South Carolina ranks only 34th overall. The city is rich in eerie charm, with moss-draped cemeteries like the one at Circular Congregational Church, which dates back to 1695 and holds over 500 gravestones.
Nearby, the 20 South Battery hotel – set in an 1843 mansion – is said to welcome ghostly guests, including the 'Gentleman Ghost', who appears as a drifting grey shadow.
Tennessee is full of haunted hangouts, but the Bell Witch Cave, just outside Nashville, is straight out of a horror film. In the 19th century, the Bell family claimed they were tormented by a malevolent spirit known as the 'Bell Witch.'
The cave, once part of the Bell property, is thought to have been a portal for the witch’s comings and goings. Today, you can explore the site by day, take a lantern-lit night tour, or join a paranormal investigation for a deeper dive into its eerie history.
Creeping up the list, Wyoming is home to its fair share of eerie encounters. From buildings reportedly built over ancient Native American burial grounds to schools and cemeteries seemingly stuck in another era, the state has its unsettling side.
In Cheyenne (pictured), ghost stories and strange sightings linger among the city’s historic streets, drawing curious visitors and paranormal enthusiasts.
The first New England state to appear on this list, New Hampshire has plenty of haunted houses to its name. In Gilford, the crumbling, abandoned Kimball Castle is a well-known hotspot for paranormal activity.
Visitors have reported ghostly shadows and eerie whispers. The property is now considered unsafe to enter – and with doors opening on their own and lights flickering without cause, that might be for the best.
Georgia is steeped in eerie history, with a string of abandoned sites that give it an undeniably creepy edge. One of the most unsettling is the Old Atlanta Prison Farm (pictured), a sprawling former correctional facility that operated from 1945 to 1995.
Believed by many to be haunted, the site is also rumored – oddly enough – to be the final resting place of a giraffe, elephant, and gorilla from the nearby zoo.
Arkansas lands at 29th, thanks to the likes of the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, which has earned the title of 'America’s Most Haunted Hotel'.
Once a luxury resort and later a controversial health facility, it’s now known for its ghost tours, where guests can explore the hotel’s haunted history and maybe even encounter one of its long-term spectral residents.
One California site has gained worldwide notoriety: the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. Since opening in 1924, it has been linked to around 80 deaths – some under mysterious and still unexplained circumstances.
The hotel’s dark history reached global attention following the 2013 death of Elisa Lam. The eerie events surrounding her disappearance and demise became the focus of Netflix docuseries, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.
It’s no surprise that historic Virginia has its share of ghosts and ghouls. One of the most chilling legends is tied to Blackbeard’s Point, near the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.
In the 18th century, the infamous pirate Edward Teach – better known as Blackbeard – terrorized the region before meeting his end in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. His severed head was brought back to Virginia as a warning, and ever since, there have been reports of his ghost haunting the area.
Home to sites like Sallie House, it's no wonder that Kansas has edged its way up the list. With its peeling white paint and creepy curios, this is the haunted house of nightmares.
The building is named after a young girl, Sallie, who lived here in the early 20th century. She died of appendicitis at the age of six, but subsequent residents and visitors claim that malevolent spirits haunt the place. They report hearing singing and seeing furniture move of its own accord.
Mississippi is full of historic mansions and weathered cemeteries, and few places capture its haunted past like Natchez. Pictured here is The Towers, built in 1798 and later used as Federal headquarters during the Civil War.
Ghostly sightings of soldiers and members of the original owners, the Fleming family, have been reported for years. Today, visitors can join candlelit paranormal tours on select evenings or explore the mansion’s antique-filled rooms on a Decorative Arts Tour.
Rhode Island's haunted spots range from fire stations to woodlands, while at Exeter's Vampire’s Graveyard you'll find the tombstone of New England's notorious 'vampire'.
This is where 19-year-old Mercy Brown is buried, but the cemetery isn’t the spooky part – it’s apparently once you’ve left the site and crossed over the second bridge that she suddenly appears in front of your car.
Ohio is packed with eerie intrigue, thanks in part to its high number of unsolved murder cases and a scattering of abandoned buildings. For a true taste of the paranormal, head to Cincinnati’s Eden Park (pictured), where locals have long reported sightings of a ghostly woman in a black dress drifting silently through the grounds.
Connecticut has its share of ghost towns, including the infamous Dudleytown in Litchfield County, where visitors have claimed to hear faint drumming echoing through the trees. Though access to the site is now prohibited, the mystery surrounding it only deepens its eerie reputation.
For a haunted experience you can still visit, head to Hartford’s Mark Twain House (pictured). This striking 19th-century Gothic home, once occupied by the famed author, is said to be inhabited by a few lingering spirits – including Twain himself, if the rumors are to be believed.
There’s enough ghost stories, unexplained murders and strange goings-on across North Dakota to keep you wide awake at night. One of the spookiest places is the Rough Riders Hotel in Medora, which also happens to be the state’s oldest hotel.
Built in 1884, today the hotel is home to the ghost of a little boy, who makes himself known by giggling and flushing toilets on the top floor.
Next on the list is Louisiana, which in New Orleans alone has seen countless bizarre and violent mysteries over the centuries, from the infamous Axe Man, who terrorized residents in 1918, to the Storyville Slayer, a still-unidentified killer.
The city's most haunted spots include the French Quarter's Hotel St. Pierre (pictured), said to be plagued by the spirit of a Confederate soldier.
Abandoned towns and cemeteries push the Bluegrass State into 19th place. Pictured here is Old Lexington Cemetery, the state's first public cemetery which, by 1833, was sadly overcrowded with victims of the cholera epidemic.
Today, the city's First Baptist Church now covers most of the area, and it remains a haunting site. Kentucky is also home to at least 20 ghost towns, including Barthell, Creelsboro, and Scuffletown.
Towns steeped in ghost stories and a haunting maritime history bolster Maine's spooky rating. Maine’s oldest city, Kittery, was founded in 1623, making it the fifth-oldest city in the USA. There are centuries' worth of ghouls hovering around, but pay particular attention to Boon Island Light, near York.
The lighthouse dates back to at least the 1700s and bears a somber story: the crew of a ship that was wrecked here had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. It’s said it’s still haunted by the victim's ghosts.
Home to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692, Massachusetts has its fair share of haunted happenings.
Pictured here is Salem's Joshua Ward House, a Federal-style historic house where Sheriff Corwin – the high sheriff of Essex County at the time – lived and tortured supposed witches. His ghost is said to haunt the building.
With Hartford’s haunted railroad bridge, the resident ghosts at the University of Vermont (pictured), and St Albans’ jail-turned-theater, there are plenty of weird goings-on in Vermont.
It's ranked in 16th place in MoveBuddha's list thanks to its string of ghost towns and abandoned sites, including the Greenbanks Hollow Covered Bridge in Danville.
Breaking into the top 15 haunted states is New York, known for its wealth of eerie and abandoned places, particularly in the western and upstate regions. Among them is the long-deserted Wonder Bread Factory (pictured), which still looms over Buffalo’s East Side – a stark reminder of the city’s industrial past.
Given its raucous Wild West history, it's unsurprising that South Dakota appears high on the list. Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood is the final resting place for the likes of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, and many visitors report a feeling of being watched. But it's not just the cemeteries that are haunted, as South Dakota has hundreds of ghost towns, from Allerton in Lawrence to Big Bottom in Meade.
Maryland just missed out on a top 10 spot, but still ranked high – thanks in part to its remarkable abandoned places. One of the most haunting was Holland Island in Toddville (pictured), once a thriving fishing village between the 17th and early 20th centuries.
Over time, rising seas and erosion claimed the land, and the island’s last remaining house – a lone symbol of its past – eventually collapsed in 2010. Today, only scattered debris remains beneath the waves, leaving behind the mystery of what was lost with the island.
Alabama is home to a huge number of ghost towns, like Claiborne, once one of the largest settlements in the area, abandoned in the 1870s. Pictured here is Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. Dating to 1822, it's the state's oldest cemetery, and ghost children have been spotted playing here, according to witnesses.
Illinois is home to many notable abandoned sites, but perhaps the most unsettling location is one that’s still open for business. The Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago, built in the late 19th century to accommodate visitors to the 1893 World’s Fair, is steeped in history – and haunted lore.
Long rumored to be one of the most haunted hotels in America, it’s said to house the restless spirit of a construction worker who died on the job. Guests and staff alike have reported unexplained noises, flickering lights, and ghostly figures roaming the halls, adding a chilling edge to the hotel's old-world grandeur.
Missouri takes 10th place, thanks to its eerie collection of abandoned ghost towns, derelict schools, and crumbling hospitals – all ripe for ghostly encounters. The state’s oldest city, Ste. Genevieve, founded in 1735, is steeped in colonial history and home to Missouri’s oldest cemetery.
Pictured here is the Old Brick House, built in 1780 and believed to be the oldest brick building west of the Mississippi River. With centuries of history behind it, it's little wonder locals say the house is haunted.
Texas storms into the top 10, bolstered by its countless ghost towns and famously haunted locations. Among them, none is more iconic – or more unsettling– than the Alamo in San Antonio (pictured).
Site of the infamous 1836 battle that claimed hundreds of lives, the Alamo has long been associated with ghostly activity. Visitors and staff have reported unexplained sounds, shadowy figures, and an unshakable sense of presence – leading many to believe the spirits of those who died defending the mission still linger.
Indiana ranks eighth on MoveBuddha’s list of the most haunted states in America, thanks to its numerous ghost towns – Chesapeake, Kickapoo, and Prairieville among them – and a wealth of eerie landmarks.
One of the most notorious is the French Lick Springs Hotel (pictured), a grand historic resort with a reputation for paranormal activity. Guests have reported everything from phantom footsteps to spectral sightings, cementing its status as one of the state’s most haunted destinations.
There are numerous abandoned communities in Oklahoma, due to the oil-boom or lumber-mill towns that suffered during the Great Depression – in fact, there are some 290 ghost towns and apparently 1,900 documented ghost sightings to go with them. Pictured here is Durant’s Fort Washita, which is said to be haunted by a woman who was murdered here in the 19th century.
Alaska just misses the top five, but its many ghost towns and eerie landmarks keep it high on the haunted list. One of the spookiest is the Alaskan Hotel and Bar in Juneau (pictured), opened in 1913 and still operating today.
Room 315 is especially notorious for alleged paranormal activity. For another chilling experience, take the 'Ghosts of Historic Sitka' walking tour, which explores Baranof Castle Hill – once home to Russian governors and, according to local lore, a lingering spirit or two.
Creeping towards the top spot is Pennsylvania, the state home to Gettysburg, historic site of one of the deadliest battles of the Civil War. Many believe the ground is still haunted by the souls of Union and Confederate soldiers – and with more than 50,000 casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg, there’s no wondering why there have been so many ghost stories and sightings.
Florida has more than 19,000 unsolved murders and no shortage of eerie, abandoned places. Among them is the Cape Romano Dome (pictured), a cluster of futuristic-looking homes off Marco Island that now lie partially submerged – surrounded by rumors of curses and haunted history.
Then there’s the St. Augustine Lighthouse, one of the state’s most famous paranormal hotspots. It has been the site of numerous reports of unexplained footsteps, shadows, and voices. For all its sunshine, Florida still has a shadowy side.
West Virginia may be small, but it boasts over 18,530 cemeteries, with the oldest dating back to 1734. However, the state's most chilling site is arguably Mercer County’s Lake Shawnee Amusement Park (pictured), abandoned since the 1960s.
Today, the park offers organized ghost hunts and paranormal tours. Visitors have reported eerie phenomena, including swings moving on their own, disembodied voices, and apparitions of children near the old rides. One of the most frequently sighted spirits is a little girl in a pink dress, believed to have died in a tragic accident on the swing ride.
Michigan takes second place, thanks to its high concentration of haunted sites. Among its spookier attractions is Niles Scream Park, a seasonal fright fest that draws thrill-seekers from across the region.
But perhaps the most unnerving is the First State Prison in Jackson (pictured), which operated until 1934 before being transformed into residential and studio space for local artists. Despite its outwardly unassuming appearance, those who’ve spent time inside have reported eerie sensations, unexplained sounds, and the feeling of being watched.
New Mexico tops the list as the most haunted state in the US, and few places feel more steeped in spirits than Acoma Pueblo (pictured), also known as 'Sky City'. Perched on a sandstone mesa, it’s considered the oldest continuously inhabited site in the Western Hemisphere.
At its heart lies a centuries-old cemetery layered with graves. Carved faces line its walls, believed to guard the dead, while a small portal allows spirits to pass into the afterlife. Visitors often report an eerie stillness – and the feeling that they’re not alone.