New study reveals the best and worst states if you want to spot a UFO
Social casino website McLuck investigated in which US states you’re most likely to spot a UFO. They gathered the number of reported UFO sightings from the National UFO Reporting Center between 2020 and 2024 and calculated the number of sightings per 100,000 residents in each state. They also calculated the month and time of day that you’re most likely to spot a UFO.
Vermont is named the #1 state where you’re most likely to spot a UFO, the new study finds.
- Vermont is the best state to spot a UFO, with 33 sightings per 1 million residents each year.
- New Hampshire is the second-best state for a UFO sighting, with 32.08 sightings per 1 million residents each year.
- Texas is the state where you’re least likely to spot a UFO, with only 7.01 sightings per 1 million residents.
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Best states to spot a UFO – Top 10
| Rank | State | Number of sightings (2020 to 2024) | Average number of sightings per 1 million residents each year | Most common month to spot a UFO | Most common time of the day to spot a UFO |
| 1. | Vermont | 107 | 33.00 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 2. | New Hampshire | 226 | 32.08 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 3. | Idaho | 319 | 31.87 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 4. | Maine | 223 | 31.74 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 5. | Oregon | 640 | 29.96 | April | 9 p.m. |
| 6. | Washington | 1,151 | 28.93 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 7. | New Mexico | 297 | 27.88 | May | 9 p.m. |
| 8. | Montana | 151 | 26.56 | August | 10 p.m. |
| 9. | Colorado | 727 | 24.41 | March | 9 p.m. |
| 10. | Wyoming | 69 | 23.48 | July | 9 p.m. |
1. Vermont – 33 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year
Vermontis the best state in the US to spot a UFO, with 33 sightings per 1 million residents each year. August is the best month to spot a UFO in the state, with 15 sightings during August between 2020 and 2024. The four other best months to spot a UFO are July, March, May, and February. The best hour of the day to spot a UFO in Vermont is 9 p.m., with a total of 23 sightings between 2020 and 2024.
2. New Hampshire – 32.08 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year
New Hampshire is the second-best state in the US to spot a UFO, with 32.08 sightings per 1 million residents each year. August is also the best month to catch a sighting of a UFO, with 27 sightings during the month between 2020 and 2024. September, July, March, and December follow August as the top months to spot a UFO. The best time to spot a UFO in New Hampshire is 9 p.m., with 33 sightings during this time of day between 2020 to 2024.
3. Idaho – 31.87 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year
The third-best state to spot a UFO is Idaho, with 31.87 sightings per 1 million residents each year. In Idaho, August is the best month to spot a UFO and 9 p.m. is the best time of day. There were 39 sightings in August between 2020 and 2024. March, May, February, and October follow August as the months you’re more likely to spot a UFO. The state saw a 40.6% rise in UFO sightings from 2023 to 2024, with 32 sightings reported in 2023, and 45 reported in 2024.
4. Maine – 31.74 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year
Maine is the fourth-best state to spot a UFO, with 31.74 sightings per 1 million residents each year. August is the best month to spot a UFO, with 38 sightings between 2020 and 2024. September, March, December, and May are when you are also likely to spot a UFO. There was a 29% increase in reported sightings between 2023 and 2024. In 2023 there were 31 sightings, whereas there were 40 in 2024.
5. Oregon – 29.96 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year
Rounding out the top five is Oregon, with 29.96 UFO sightings per 1 million residents each year. Oregon had the 10th highest number of total sightings compared to other states, with 640 sightings over five years. In Oregon, April was the best month for sightings between 2020 to 2024, with 81 UFOs spotted. There was a 29% decrease in reported sightings between 2023 and 2024, with 107 sightings in 2023 and only 76 in 2024. Despite having the fourth-highest overall number of reported sightings, Texas is the worst state for UFO sightings, with 7.01 per 1 million residents each year.
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Worst states to spot a UFO – Bottom 10
| Rank | State | Number of sightings (2020 to 2024) | Average number of sightings per 1 million residents each year | Most common month to spot a UFO | Most common time of the day to spot a UFO |
| 50. | Texas | 1,097 | 7.01 | October | 9 p.m. |
| 49. | Louisiana | 176 | 7.66 | August | 8 p.m. |
| 48. | Mississippi | 115 | 7.82 | October | 9 p.m. |
| 47. | Georgia | 479 | 8.57 | May | 9 p.m. |
| 46. | Illinois | 558 | 8.78 | April | 9 p.m. |
| 45. | Virginia | 438 | 9.94 | December | 9 p.m. |
| 44. | Nebraska | 102 | 10.17 | April | 10 p.m. |
| 43. | Alabama | 263 | 10.20 | January | 8 p.m. |
| 42. | Maryland | 326 | 10.41 | October | 9 p.m. |
| 41. | New Jersey | 503 | 10.59 | December | 7 p.m. |
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Joerg Nottebaum, spokesperson for McLuck commented on these findings:
“UFO sightings and the existence of aliens have been a point of contention for many years, with over 60% of Americans believing the US government is hiding information regarding UFOs and alien life, according to a recent YouGov survey.
“Our study reveals the states with the highest number of UFO sightings over five years, finding that the summer months are the best time of year to spot one. This is probably due to the lighter evenings and Americans spending more time outside, which could increase their chances of spotting these phenomena.”
Best states to spot a UFO – Full ranking
| Rank | State | Number of sightings (2020 to 2024) | Average number of sightings per 1 million residents each year | Most common month to spot a UFO | Most common time of the day to spot a UFO |
| 1. | Vermont | 107 | 33.00 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 2. | New Hampshire | 226 | 32.08 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 3. | Idaho | 319 | 31.87 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 4. | Maine | 223 | 31.74 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 5. | Oregon | 640 | 29.96 | April | 9 p.m. |
| 6. | Washington | 1,151 | 28.93 | August | 9 p.m. |
| 7. | New Mexico | 297 | 27.88 | May | 9 p.m. |
| 8. | Montana | 151 | 26.56 | August | 10 p.m. |
| 9. | Colorado | 727 | 24.41 | March | 9 p.m. |
| 10. | Wyoming | 69 | 23.48 | July | 9 p.m. |
| 11. | Arizona | 833 | 21.97 | May | 8 p.m. |
| 12. | Connecticut | 402 | 21.88 | May | 9 p.m. |
| 13. | Alaska | 72 | 19.46 | December | 6 p.m. |
| 14. | West Virginia | 154 | 17.40 | July | 9 p.m. |
| 15. | Delaware | 91 | 17.30 | April | 9 p.m. |
| 16. | Arkansas | 267 | 17.29 | May | 9 p.m. |
| 17. | Utah | 297 | 16.95 | December | 9 p.m. |
| 18. | Nevada | 276 | 16.89 | August | 10 p.m. |
| 19. | South Dakota | 77 | 16.65 | July | 9 p.m. |
| 20. | Indiana | 533 | 15.40 | July | 9 p.m. |
| 21. | Pennsylvania | 1,002 | 15.32 | May | 10 p.m. |
| 22. | Oklahoma | 288 | 14.06 | November | 10 p.m. |
| 23. | Rhode Island | 78 | 14.02 | November | 9 p.m. |
| 24. | Massachusetts | 499 | 13.99 | October | 9 p.m. |
| 25. | Kansas | 207 | 13.94 | December | 9 p.m. |
| 26. | Hawaii | 100 | 13.83 | February | 9 p.m. |
| 27. | Missouri | 421 | 13.48 | October | 9 p.m. |
| 28. | Florida | 1,532 | 13.11 | January | 9 p.m. |
| 29. | South Carolina | 352 | 12.85 | August | 10 p.m. |
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Do you have a UFO story you’d like to share? Leave a comment below!
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Sources: McLuck, National UFO Reporting Center, United States Census Bureau, YouGov
Methodology: This study analyzes reports submitted to the National UFO Reporting Center between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2025, to identify which US states have the highest number of UFO sightings. The total number of yearly sightings per 1 million residents was then calculated for each US state to determine a fairer ranking.
In addition, the months and hours of the day where UFO sightings are most likely to occur, both at state and national levels. The study also highlights the states that experienced the largest increase in UFO sightings in 2024 compared to 2023.
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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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