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Just How Many Ghosts Reside North Carolina?

By Melanie Day

Do you believe in ghosts? If you do, you’ll possibly be delighted to know that one of the most haunted states is North Carolina. Halloween is just a week away and if you prefer to get your haunts a little more “real” than haunted trails and theme parks you’re in luck. A new report by SlotSource.com reveals the most haunted states in the US based on the number of ghostly sightings. These are just documented sightings in 2022 reported to GhostsOfAmerica.com. Something tells me the numbers that go unreported are way higher! So just how many ghosts are among the residents of North Carolina?

First, let’s start at the top. Texas comes in as the most haunted with just under 5,000 reported sightings in 2022. That is actually pretty wild when you think about it. That’s around 13 ghost sightings per day in Texas. But compared to the total population, you’re still not all that likely to actually encounter a spirit. I do enjoy the creepy tales on ghost tours when I visit new cities, however, I’m not sure how I would react (or if I’d believe it) if I actually encountered a ghost. Part of me does believe but I’m also skeptical. I am not one of the 726 people who have seen a ghost or ghosts in North Carolina this year (or ever).

If you have I’d love to hear the story though so make sure to reach out! Keep reading to see the Top 20 Most Haunted States, ranked by reported ghost sightings. And keep reading at the end of the article to see 13 places in the Carolinas that are said to have their own resident ghosts. You’ve probably visited one or two of them!

  • 1. Texas

    TravelTexas.com lists The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Hotel Galvez in Galveston, and the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi as some of the most haunted locations in Texas. There is also reported paranormal activity at The Alama where hundreds of people perished.

    Ghost Sightings: 4938

    Population: 29,527,941

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0167%

  • 2. California

    As with Texas such a large populous state as California it’s no surprise it ranks high on this list. Some of the more paranormal locations in California include The Queen Mary which is docked in Long Beach where in pre-pandemic times you could participate in overnight ghost expeditions onboard. There’s also the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel where some say the ghost of Marilyn Monroe resides.

    Ghost Sightings: 3802

    Population: 39,237,836

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0097%

  • 3. Ohio

    Ghost sightings in Ohio? There are plenty. A quick search of Ohio.org lists some of the most notoriously haunted locales. This includes the Moonville Tunnel in McArthur, Licking County Historic Jail in Newark, and Franklin Castle in Cleveland. At the latter visitors have reported hearing the sounds of crying babies and seeing a ghostly image of a woman in black.

    Ghost Sightings: 1854

    Population: 11,780,017

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0157%

  • 4. Michigan

    From lighthouses to restaurants, you can find paranormal activity across Michigan if you dare. One of the most interesting in the Doherty Hotel in Clare. It has quite a history from serving as a speakeasy during prohibition, a meeting place for the Mafia and the Purple Gang, and it was the site of the murder of Isaiah Leebove. Other haunted spots include The Whitney Restaurant, Michigan’s First State Prison, Fort Holmes, and Seul Choix Point Light House.

    Ghost Sightings: 1566

    Population: 10,050,811

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0156%

  • 5. Illinois

    Windy City Ghosts reports the most haunted spot in Illinois is the Manteno State Mental Hospital. In 1939 Typhoid spread through the institution taking the lives of 47 patients and it was never the same. The Rialto Square Theater is also said to be haunted by the spirits of three individuals who jumped to their death from the theater’s balcony.

    Ghost Sightings: 1518

    Population: 12,671,469

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0120%

  • 6. Indiana

    Enterprise actually created a Haunted Indiana Roadtrip so you know there is a lot happening! Did you know the infamous Indianapolis Poltergeist exists? Other spooky spots include the Roads Hotel and Hookman’s Cemetary.

    Ghost Sightings: 1307

    Population: 6,805,985

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0192%

  • 7. Oklahoma

    TravelOklahoma names the most haunted places in the Sooner State. Their picks include Stone Lion Inn & Bed and Breakfast, the Gilcrease Museum, and Fort Washita Historic Site & Museum. Fort Washita is home to Aunt Jane a “strong-willed” ghost.

    Ghost Sightings: 1292

    Population: 3,986,639

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0324%

  • 8. Pennsylvania

    With such a long and rich history, Pennsylvania is the prime spot for haunts. The Farnsworth House Inn was used as shelter during the Battle of Gettysburg and is known as one of the most haunted places in the country. Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park dates back to the Native Americans, and the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh is home to strange occurrences attributed to paranormal beings.

    Ghost Sightings: 1246

    Population: 12,964,056

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0096%

  • 9. New York

    Rovology claims there are hundreds of haunted places in the Empire State. The TV show Ghost Hunters paid a visit to Saratoga’s Canfield Casino where paranormal experiences have ranged from sightings of a woman dressed in Victorian costume who vanishes into thin air, the scent of cigar smoke coming from empty rooms, and sudden temperature changes. Then there is the mystery of the Lady in the Lake at Lake Placid, and the disturbing history of the Lockport Caves.

    Ghost Sightings: 1198

    Population: 19,835,913

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.006%

  • 10. Virginia

    Virginia has seen its fair share of history with many battles being fought and lives lost in the states. Hauntings traverse the state including the town of Colonial Williamsburg, Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historic State Park, the Ferry Plantation House, and the Captain Timothy Hill House.

    Ghost Sightings: 1185

    Population: 8,642,274

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0137%

  • 11. Georgia

    A state home to Savannah has to be high on this list. Some say Savannah is the most haunted city in the country, but it has no shortage of spirits. Some of the most well known include  The Marshall House (a Civil War hospital),  The Kehoe House (a former funeral home), and Moon River Brewing which is home to a ghost known as “The White Lady”. But it’s not just Savannah, there are haunts across the state including the Fox Theater and Ellis hotel in Atlanta.

    Ghost Sightings: 1057

    Population: 10,799,566

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.098%

  • 12. Florida

    Haunts in Florida range from buildings across historic St. Augustine, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Cables, The Devil’s Tree at Oak Hammock Park in Port St. Lucie, and Fort Pickens – Gulf Islands National Seashore.

    Ghost Sightings: 1036

    Population: 21,781,128

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0048%

  • 13. Missouri

    Where are the best haunts in Missouri? I consulted VacationsMadeEasy which lists the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City as one of them. The penitentiary sits on what Time Magazine refers to as “the bloodiest 47 acres in America” and has been the site of over 100 paranormal investigations. Spirits are said to freely roam the halls at The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs which has also been featured on Ghost Hunters.

    Ghost Sighting: 995

    Population: 6,168,187

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0161%

  • 14. Wisconsin

    Every state has its share of creepy places, and Wisconsin is no exception. The Wood County Insane Asylum is one particularly eery place. There is the patient who is believed to have seen the face of the devil in a boiler and then jumped inside to his death. Additionally, there is a tunnel said to be haunted by a maintenance worker who committed suicide, but that’s not all. It’s also haunted by two patients who were killed there and the spirit of a young girl. Another haunted location is The Pfister a hotel so creepy that MLB Players are afraid to stay there.

    Ghost Sightings: 978

    Population: 5,895,908

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0166%

  • 15. Washington

    From abandoned ghost towns to massacre sites to old brothels and mortuaries Washington state has plenty of paranormal to keep you interested! There’s the Monte Cristo Ghost Town, this abandoned ghost town is only accessible by hike but it is still said to be haunted by the ghosts of the miners who lived and died there. And one that may surprise you in Pike Place Market in Seattle, but there are multiple ghosts that haunt this busy market.

    Ghost Sightings: 774

    Population: 7,738,692

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0100%

  • 16. Tennessee

    With a rich Revolutionary War and Civil War history as well as prisons and other urban legends, Tennesee has some spooky places. StyleBluePrint.com lists several of best haunts including Wheatlands Plantation in Sevierville, TN which has seen its share of death. Including 70+ people who died in the house as a result of Revolutionary and Civil War battles. Additionally, 28 Cherokees were killed at the Battle of Boyd’s Creek and estimates say 69 slaves and two Revolutionary War soldiers are buried on the property.

    Ghost Sightings: 730

    Population: 6,975,218

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0105%

    more than 70 people have been murdered in this house from battles during the Revolutionary War and Civil War. It is estimated that 28 Cherokees were killed at the Battle of Boyd’s Creek (which runs adjacent to the property) during the Revolutionary War, and there are approximately 69 slaves and two Revolutionary War soldiers buried on the property

  • 17. Massachusetts

    Salem, Lizzie Bordon, Boston, there is no shortage of harrowing tales in Massachusetts. Per Ghosts and Gravestones, the Houghton Mansion has been called one of the scariest places in New England due to reported footsteps and voices when no one was around, shadows, knocking, and flickering lights. At the Lizzie Bordon Museum and Bed & Breakfast visitors reports cold fingers tapping them on their shoulder and hearing footsteps from empty rooms. An apparition of a Victorian-era woman has also been reported.

    Ghost Sightings: 729

    Population: 6,984,723

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0104%

  • 18. North Carolina

    From haunted hotels across the state to a devil’s playground, and an old cotton plantation North Carolina is definitely haunted. Keep reading at the end of this article to check out 13 places in both Carolinas that are actually haunted!

    Ghost Sightings: 726

    Population: 10,551,162

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0069%

  • 19. Alabama

    Not so *sweet* in this regard Alabama. One haunted site is The Drish House which has seen plenty of unexplainable events like phantom fires and ghostly lights, dating back 100s of years. In Camden, the Gainesridge Dinner Club has been named the “Most Haunted Restaurant” in Alabama. Visitors dine in the 1820s home alongside a family of ghosts.

    Ghost Sightings: 721

    Population: 5,039,877

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0143%

  • 20. Kentucky

    Among the most haunted locations in Kentucky is the Waverly Hill Tuberculosis Sanitorium where the Bed & Breakfast Association of Kentucky reports that visitors hear children playing, doors slamming, footsteps, and smell the scent of freshly baked bread. A haunted nightclub more your scene? Bob Mackey’s Music World is, perhaps, the most haunted bar in the country. Before it was a bar it was a slaughterhouse.

    Ghost Sightings: 706

    Population: 4,509,394

    % of Population Who Have Seen A Ghost: 0.0157%

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