It’s Halloween – the time for ghosts, goblins, werewolves, zombies, and haunted houses. SmartAsset scared up some numbers to find the spookiest city in America. There are many factors to consider: the number of vacant houses, graveyards, and costume stores that unleash the ghouls upon the streets.
SmartAsset scored nine different metrics to find the spookiest cities in America. They factored in spooky facts like the number of vacant homes, death industry rate, number of cemeteries, large homes, old homes, clothing accessory stores, single-family home rate, and Halloween costume stores to scare up the spookiest cities in America. They say the spookiest cities in the U.S are …
7. New Orleans, LA
New Orleans culture is dripping with vampires and other spookiness. Dressing in costume is popular here, judging by data from SmartAsset. The Big Easy ranks high for the density of clothing accessory and costume stores. The many cemeteries tend to be more haunted than average according to the article. Homes in the Crescent City are prime for haunting – it has more empty old homes than the average city. The Hotel Monteleone has been ranked as the spookiest place in NOLA. Former employee “Red” and children that died in the hotel from yellow fever have frequently been seen in the hotel on the 13th floor.
6. Cleveland, OH
Homes in Cleveland are older than most, making them susceptible to haunting. SmartAsset reports that about 63% of homes here were built before 1950. The also city contains 115 cemeteries. Franklin Castle in Cleveland is considered by many to be one of the most haunted houses in America. It has been featured on paranormal investigation shows like Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” and “Paranormal Lockdown.”
5. Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh owes its ranking to its prominent death care industry, specifically the large number of cemeteries in the Steel City. SmartAsset claims that Steel City is ripe for the haunting. The housing stock is also quite old and large: nearly 60% of all homes were built before 1950 and more than 15% of homes have at least eight rooms. This city also has a very high concentration of costume stores. The spookiest building in Pittsburgh, as ranked by goodforpittsburgh.com, is the Pittsburgh City Tuberculosis Sanatorium, an abandoned tuberculosis hospital.
4. Detroit, MI
Motown is full of old, single-family, and vacant homes — just the type spirits love to haunt. Along with the high chance of stumbling across a haunted home in Detroit, the city has 43 cemeteries. The D ranks in the top 30 for costume stores as a percent of all establishments. Curbed Detroit says that the largest Masonic Temple in the world located in Detroit is haunted.
3. Baltimore, MD
Being the hometown of Edgar Allen Poe where he wrote “The Raven” should be enough. But Baltimore also has a large number of cemeteries. Cemeteries are traditionally haunted spots which puts Baltimore high on SmartAsset’s list of spookiest cities.
2. Augusta, GA
Augusta is more than golf – It is also one of the spookiest cities in America. Just under 10% of homes here are vacant, which leaves them vulnerable to being inhabited by ghosts. Southern Living Magazine considers The Partridge Inn, one of the most haunted places in the South.
1. Macon, GA
Macon is the spookiest city in America according to the report. This city ranks high with haunted homes and percent of establishments in the death care industry. The Macon Gateway says the Bennett House, to be the most haunted place in Macon.
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I don’t know if the Michigan Masonic temple is haunted – but I did see my first concert there with the Romantics –My Sharona.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.