New England Tops Nation in Belief in Ghosts, Hauntings, Study Finds
Maine ranked first in 'superstitious states,' with New Hampshire and New Mexico also scoring high.
New England residents are more likely to believe in ghosts, hauntings, and the metaphysical than people in other parts of the United States, according to a new study that ranked states by their propensity for superstition. Maine was identified as the No. 1 "most superstitious state" based on factors including belief in the unexplained, haunted locations, and psychic-related topics.
The study, conducted by Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, compared 48 states using various metrics. These included the number of metaphysical shops, belief in phenomena beyond the natural world, interest in psychics, and internet search data related to bad luck.
New Mexico secured the second spot for superstition, while New Hampshire ranked third. Florida came in fourth, followed by Arizona in fifth place.
Mike Accomando, owner of Spooky World, a haunted theme park in Litchfield, New Hampshire, suggested that the region's rich history contributes to its higher belief in the paranormal. "I’d say the history of the Salem witch trials plays a role in why New England loves this stuff," Accomando told The Post. "It’s been a tradition in New England to sit by the fireplace and tell tales of hauntings. We have more history — so we’ve had more time to come up with these stories."
Accomando recounted an incident where a worker cleaning a basement at his park in New Hampshire was startled by what he believed to be a "haunted spirit." The worker, upon learning that the former restaurant space had been the site of an unexplained death decades prior, became convinced the area was haunted.
According to the study, Maine recorded 874 superstition-related "mentions" per 100,000 residents and had 5.14 psychic services per 100,000 people. In New Mexico, 86% of residents reported believing in spiritual happenings beyond the natural world.
New Hampshire was noted for its density of superstition-related businesses, with 4.28 metaphysical shops and 6.61 psychic services per 100,000 residents.
