2023’s Best Cities For Paranormal Activity

May 11, 2023

Ghosts, aliens, and cryptids — oh my!

Where in the U.S. are you most likely to stumble upon a supernatural experience? To mark Twilight Zone Day on May 11, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Paranormal Activity. They compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on four categories. They looked at paranormal sightings, Bigfoot sightings, haunted sites, and paranormal conventions and events, among 14 total otherworldly metrics.

See the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities for supernatural creatures and events below, followed by key stats from our report. (Check out these Horrorable Mentions, too.)

Best Cities for Paranormal Activity

1. Los Angeles, CA
2. New York, NY
3. Chicago, IL
4. San Diego, CA
5. New Orleans, LA
6. Philadelphia, PA
7. San Antonio, TX
8. Dallas, TX
9. Indianapolis, IN
10. Las Vegas, NV

Worst Cities for Paranormal Activity

1. West Valley City, UT
2. Sioux Falls, SD
3. Honolulu, HI
4. Hampton, VA
5. Overland Park, KS
6. Olathe, KS
7. Orange, CA
8. Surprise, AZ
9. Boise, ID
10. Lakewood, CO

Key Insights

Hollywood Haunts: The top city, Los Angeles, boasts an 11-point lead ahead of New York (No. 2). LA possesses the highest number of haunted sites and the most paranormal conventions and events. The City of Angels is spellbound as the No. 2 best city for witches and No. 4 for vampires. California is also the most ideal state for spotting UFOs.
Mythical Mid-Atlantic: Assemble your own Ghostbusters crew in New York (No. 2), which offers 328 cemeteries — the most in our ranking — and the second-highest number of haunted sites to explore. Phantoms have plenty of potential in Philadelphia (No. 6), thanks to the second-best cemetery access. However, Philly falls behind at No. 119 in ghost sightings.
Lone Star Specters: Thirteen Texas cities float to the top half of our ranking, with San Antonio (No. 7) claiming the third-largest number of haunted sites, followed closely by Houston (No. 11) and El Paso (No. 24) tied at No. 5. El Paso also spooks residents with the most ghost sightings, followed by Austin (No. 13), as well as Laredo (No. 44) and Corpus Christi (No. 83) tied for third place.

Sasquatch Stomping Grounds: Legend has it that Bigfoot roams around the Pacific Northwest, so it’s fitting that Tacoma, Washington (No. 56), claims the highest number of Bigfoot sightings, followed by Seattle (No. 18), Bellevue, Washington (No. 153), and Portland, Oregon (No. 19). There are even conservation laws in some regions of the Evergreen State protecting Sasquatch from potential poachers.
Paranormal Pursuits: Phantoms won’t find peace in Las Vegas (No. 10), home to the most paranormal societies and investigative organizations, followed by Indianapolis (No. 9). However, supernatural events occur most often in spooky San Diego (No. 4), with the most paranormal sightings, followed by Dallas (No. 8) and — all tied for third place Chicago (No. 3), Philadelphia (No. 6), and Cleveland (No. 30).
The Big Eerie: Whether you’re interested in witches, vampires, or ghosts, New Orleans (No. 5) is full of supernatural spirits. NOLA offers the highest number of haunted hotels and ghost tours and is among the top 20 cities for witches and vampires.