These 10 Michigan towns have most ghost sightings in the state

DETROIT – All month long, you’re likely to see decorations and costumes of ghosts and ghouls all over town, indoors and out.

‘Tis the season for spookiness in Michigan, for sure -- but let’s be real, ghosts aren’t confined to the month of October.

Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, it’s safe to say a great number of people do believe in ghosts. Perhaps that’s because they’ve literally seen it to believe it ...

Most haunted states

Michigan is reportedly one of the most haunted states in America, with the fourth-most ghost sightings reported here than in any other state (excluding Texas, California and Ohio).

Ghost sightings have been reported from across the state -- and nation -- to GhostsOfAmerica.com, the country’s primary source for ghost sighting data.

Here are the states with the most ghost sightings, listed in order (as of 2020):

1. Texas
2. California
3. Ohio
4. Michigan
5. Illinois
6. Indiana
7. Pennsylvania
8. Oklahoma
9. New York
10. Virginia

A study from 2021 that used different data actually placed Michigan higher on the list of haunted states.

Moving company moveBuddha conducted a study last year that ranked all 50 states from most haunted to least haunted using three different scores, rather than just ghost sighting data.

The study’s “Spook Score” looks at a state’s haunted places, oldest cities and cemeteries and number of cemeteries; The “Creep Score” looks at the state’s number of unsolved murders by population and abandoned buildings; And the “Boo Score” identifies the number of ghost towns by population, and the number of ghost sightings by population.

All of this to say: The study found that Michigan is the second-most haunted state in the country, with its “Creep Score” coming in particularly high. New Mexico was ranked the No. 1 spookiest state in the U.S. for 2021.

Ghost sightings in Michigan

Nearly every city, township or town in Michigan has at least one reported ghost sighting on GhostsOfAmerica.com.

Some of the reports include photos -- though, truthfully, some of those photos don’t really seem legitimate. They’re still interesting to look at, all the same.

The most ghost sightings reported in Michigan took place in the city of Monroe.

Monroe, situated Downriver, tops the list in Michigan with 48 ghost sightings reported. Muskegon and Bay City come in second and third, respectively.

Here are the 10 Michigan towns with the most recorded ghost sightings (note: some cities are tied with one another):

Despite the numerous sightings reported, the chances of seeing a ghost in one of these top-10 towns is pretty unlikely, according to data from GreatLakesStakes.com.

Their report shows that in Monroe, a person has a 1.8% chance of seeing a ghost. In Muskegon, it’s a 1.59% chance, and in Bay City it’s a 1.56% chance.

Once you reach Menominee on the list, the chance drops below 1% for every city thereafter. There is a .98% chance of seeing a ghost in Menominee.

Honorable mentions -- Michigan towns with several ghost sightings:

• Dearborn: 24 sightings
• Ann Arbor: 23 sightings
• Grand Rapids: 23 sightings
• Cadillac: 21 sightings
• Grosse Pointe: 21 sightings
• Mackinac Island: 21 sightings
• Warren: 20 sightings

See Michigan ghost sightings reported on GhostsOfAmerica.com by clicking here.

Related: These are the most haunted Michigan bars, restaurants, according to Detroit ghost hunters

Previously on Data Drop:

• Vehicle-deer crashes in Michigan: How often they occur, when 🦌
• It’s corn! ... and other foods grown in Michigan, by the numbers 🚜
• Detroit’s rainiest, driest months, years between 1970-2020 🌧️
• Study: Over one-fifth of Michigan adults don’t want kids 👶