Forget the American Dream. In the spooky season, it's all about American nightmares. Removals service MoveBuddha has ranked the USA's most haunted states, considering factors such as the oldest cemetery, number of unsolved murder cases and quantity of abandoned ghost towns in each state to determine their 'Boo', 'Creep' and 'Scare' scores. Read on for the full list, ranked from least to most haunted.

Things don't seem to go bump in the night in Idaho, as MoveBuddha rated it as America's least spooky state. There are plenty of Wild West ghost towns, however; pictured here is Bayhorse in Custer County, a former mining town that now forms part of Land of the Yankee Fork State Park. Here you’ll still find old ovens used for making charcoal, buildings along the main street and perhaps a spooky soul or two.

Minnesota may have been ranked as the nation's second-least spooky state, but there's still a few haunted spots to check out (if you dare). The state’s oldest city, Wabasha, was founded in 1826 and is home to the infamous Wabasha Street Caves (pictured). Take a guided tour of this 19th-century mining-cave-turned-1930s-gangster-hotspot – but beware of the spirits of murdered mobsters.

Hawaii might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of haunted spots but, despite its low ranking, its ancient, layered history means there's plenty of fodder for ghost stories; consider, for example, Ulupo Heiau, a sacred 1,000-year-old temple said to contain thousands of bones from human sacrifices. Spectres are often also reported at Pearl Harbor, where thousands lost their lives on 7 December 1941.

Love this? Follow us on Facebook for travel inspiration and more

Did you know that Nevada has more historic mining camps and abandoned boomtowns than actual populated cities and towns? The sheer amount of silver and gold found here during the 19th century gave Nevada its nickname 'the Silver State' – but it left a host of forgotten areas in its wake, such as Rhyolite Ghost Town (pictured). The state's tangle of remote roads offer a true adventure.

Nevada's spookiest places, from eerie ghost towns to haunted hotels

Though Colorado lagged behind in this ranking, The Stanley (pictured) has to be one of the world’s most famous haunted hotels. Built in 1909, it was once frequented by celebrities and fittingly served as the inspiration for Stephen King’s classic horror novel, The Shining. Book a stay here and embrace the creepiness on their Spirited Night Tour.

Arizona may not have made it high on the haunted list, but there are still plenty of reasons to tread carefully. The state is home to notable abandoned sites, like Gold King Mansion in Mohave County (pictured). This miners-quarters-turned-mansion was later abandoned and has suffered from vandalism over the years – what a way to annoy any lingering spirits.

Iowa registers on the lower end of unsolved murder cases with around 817, but there are more than enough haunted places to give you the creeps. Pictured here is The Mathias Ham House, a 19th-century residence that's now a museum. It may be visitor-friendly, but it's said to be the most haunted place in Dubuque.

Washington DC ranks low on the most-haunted list, but it came in sixth place for places that were most likely to simply give you the creeps. This was due to its high number of unsolved murder cases and notable abandoned buildings. Since 1949, the Dupont Underground (pictured) operated as a streetcar system, bomb shelter and food court, but was eventually abandoned in the 1960s. While it's now being transformed into an art space, there's still an undeniable chill in the atmosphere.

With some 5,944 unsolved murder cases and multiple notable abandoned buildings, North Carolina isn’t somewhere you’ll want to get lost after dark. Dare to stay at Asheville's Omni Grove Park Inn (pictured) and you might see the spirit of the mysterious Pink Lady roaming the corridors – she's known to frequent room 545 as well.

Though Utah's ranking remains in the forties, it's not without its haunting sites. In 1857, over 100 men, women and children were murdered by a band of Mormon militia at Mountain Meadows in Washington County, in a series of attacks now notoriously known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. There’s a memorial and books have been written about the tragic event, but historians aren’t any closer to understanding the motives. Visitors report feelings of overwhelming sadness and hearing cries in the wind upon visiting the site. 

Coming in at number 41, Nebraska really dials up the spook factor at Omaha's Museum of Shadows, a tourist attraction filled with more than 3,000 eerie artefacts, from creepy dolls to real human skulls. Guests have reported seeing spirits flit between the displays and even being physically touched by an unknown presence; unsurprisingly, it’s known as one of the most haunted museums in the world.

Washington has a staggering 3,219 unsolved murder cases and it just edges into the USA's top 40 most haunted states. Seattle has plenty of spooky sights too. Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub was built over a 20th-century mortuary, and over the years bar staff have reported physical apparitions, mirrors smashing out of nowhere and more strange goings-on. Clearly the ghosts are regulars here.

Montana, with its ghost towns and abandoned jails, edges into the thirties. Built in the 1870s, the Old Montana Prison provides a night to remember. Or just simply a nightmare. Visitors can take a tour or an overnight stay in one of the most haunted parts of the prison, where you might hear footsteps, feel unexplained presences or spy shadowy figures darting between the cells.

It's New Jersey's cemeteries that push it into spot 38. Burlington was home to the state's first European settlement in 1624, and the grounds of the Burlington Quaker Meeting House are home to one of the state's oldest burial grounds. Thrill seekers can also head southeast to Pine Barrens (pictured) – among the forested thickets you might spot legendary creature the Jersey Devil, with its bat wings and horse-like face.

Oregon is still one of the USA's less haunted states, but it's not without its spooky spots. The Shanghai Tunnels were passageways used for transporting goods in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but they were also harrowingly known as a site of “shanghaiing”. This involved capturing young men as slaves and selling them as sailors. It’s said the spirits of these ill-fated men linger in the echoing passageways, where you might hear their whistle or spot their shadows…

Coming in at 36, Delaware is home to one of the oldest cities in the nation, with Lewes founded way back in 1631. The state’s first city is also home to its oldest cemetery, Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church Cemetery (pictured). The Nunez family are the oldest graves you’ll find here, with old slate stones dating from 1746.

Another state littered with haunting cemeteries, not-too-scary Wisconsin inches into 35th place. Green Bay is the state’s oldest city, established in 1634. And Forest Home Cemetery (pictured) – founded in the mid-19th century – is among the state’s creepiest and oldest burial sites, though some date back a whopping 10,000 years to the end of the last Ice Age. That’s given us double the shivers…

You can actually spend a night at these haunted houses

Charleston is known as one of America's most haunted cities, so it might be surprising that South Carolina comes in at number 34. Still, those in search of spookiness can explore the stirring town, known for its old cemeteries and Spanish moss. Nestled in the heart of the Historic District, the city’s oldest cemetery, Circular Congregational Church, dates back to 1695 with over 500 remaining gravestones. While you’re there, check into the nearby 20 South Battery hotel. This former 19th-century private residence is said to welcome spectral guests, including the “Gentleman Ghost”, who manifests as a grey shadow.

Tennessee is home to plenty of haunted hangouts, but the Bell Witch Cave, just outside Nashville, is pure horror-movie vibes. The Bell family lived here in the 19th century but were constantly harassed by the horrible "Bell Witch". Today, you can visit a recreation of the home, or take a guided lantern or cave tour.

Creeping up the list, Wyoming is actually home to the ‘youngest’ oldest city in the USA, with Cheyenne (pictured) founded in 1867. Though of course the area's history well predates the 19th century. You don’t have to search too hard for spooky sights and sounds in the state, from buildings constructed over ancient Native American reservations to jinxed schools and cemeteries stuck in a bygone era.

The first New England state to appear on the list, New Hampshire has its fair share of haunted old houses. In Gilford, the crumbling and abandoned Kimball Castle is no stranger to paranormal activity. People have reported seeing ghostly shadows and hearing unexplained whisperings. However, the property has been deemed as no longer safe to enter – and with doors and lights acting bizarrely of their own accord, maybe it’s for the best.

Georgia may not have ranked high on the most haunted list, but with a high number of unsolved murder cases and nine notable abandoned ruins, it was awarded tenth place on MoveBuddha's top 10 states that will give you the creeps. Pictured here is the Old Atlanta Prison Farm, a former operational correctional facility that opened in 1945 and closed in 1995. Many believe the huge site to be haunted, as well as (bizarrely) the burial site for a giraffe, elephant and gorilla from the nearby zoo.

Arkansas' abandoned sites and cemeteries get it to 29th place. The oldest cemetery in Arkansas also bears the scariest name – Scull Cemetery – and was established in 1778. Meanwhile, over in Eureka Springs you’ll find the Crescent Hotel, which is believed by many to be the most haunted hotel in the entire US. Why not join a tour in search of the hotel’s ghoulish guests?

The Golden State almost made the halfway point, thanks to its 53 notable abandoned buildings, like Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark in Newberry Springs. But there's one site in particular that is notorious across the world. Since the Cecil Hotel's opening in 1924, the property has seen 80 deaths – including some under very mysterious and still unexplained circumstances. The LA hotel has even featured on a Netflix mini-series regarding the unexplained death of Elisa Lam in 2013.

30 surprising facts about California

It's not surprising that historic Virginia harbours some ghosts and ghouls. Virginia may be home to Jamestown – considered by many to be America’s first settlement – but if you ask us, Blackbeard’s Point sounds much more terrifying. In the 18th century, Blackbeard, the notorious pirate (aka Edward Teach), once wreaked havoc at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. When he was eventually killed in North Carolina's Outer Banks, his severed head was brought back to Virginia and many claim to have spotted his ghost in this area. Shiver me timbers all round.

Home to sites like Sallie House, it's no wonder that Kansas has edged its way up the list. With its peeling white paint and creepy curios, this is the haunted house of nightmares. The building is named after the little girl, Sallie, who lived here in the early 20th century. Sadly, she died of appendicitis at the age of six, but subsequent residents and visitors have said that malevolent spirits haunt the place. They report hearing singing and seeing furniture move of its own accord.

One of the South's creepiest cities, Mississippi has historic mansions and old cemeteries aplenty. Founded in 1716, Natchez is the state's oldest city, and with its age-old history come ghosts, spirits and unexplained strangeness. Pictured here is the Towers of Natchez; built in 1798 and later renovated, it served as Federal headquarters during the Civil War as well as a private residence. Spirits of the troops and family members have been sighted here; book onto a paranormal tour to suss things out for yourself.

Rhode Island's haunted spots range from fire stations to woodlands, but at Exeter's Vampire’s Graveyard you'll find the tombstone of New England's notorious 'vampire'. This is where 19-year-old Mercy Brown is buried, but the cemetery isn’t the spooky part – it’s apparently once you’ve left the site and crossed over the second bridge that she suddenly appears in front of your car.

While Ohio received a mid-tier ranking on the most haunted states, it came in ninth place for the top 10 states that will give you the creeps, mostly due to its high number of unsolved murder cases and 13 abandoned buildings. If you want to get into full spooky season though, venture to Cincinnati's Eden Park (pictured) where you might spot the ghost of a woman wearing a black dress...

Connecticut is home to a smattering of ghost towns, like Dudleytown in Litchfield County, where visitors have reported hearing faint drum sounds. Access to the deserted town is no longer permitted, which only adds to its eeriness. Instead, you could visit the home of late writer Mark Twain in Hartford. Rumour has it this 19th-century Gothic home (pictured) has a few resident ghosts, including the main man himself.

There’s enough ghost stories, unexplained murders and strange goings-on across North Dakota to keep you wide awake at night. One of the spookiest places is the Rough Riders Hotel in Medora, which also happens to be the state’s oldest hotel. Built in 1884, the hotel is apparently home to the ghost of a little boy, who makes himself known by giggling and flushing toilets on the top floor.

These are America's eerie, abandoned castles

Hitting the top 20, Louisiana also ranked eighth for the top 10 states that will give you the creeps. The state has over 215 unsolved murders and several notable abandoned sites and buildings, like Jazzland in New Orleans (pictured). Jazzland – which eventually became Six Flags New Orleans – was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and has been left to rot and ruin ever since.

Abandoned towns and cemeteries push the Bluegrass State into the number 19 spot. Pictured here is Old Lexington Cemetery, the state's first public cemetery which, by 1833, was sadly overcrowded with victims of the cholera epidemic. Today, the city's First Baptist Church now covers most of the area, and it remains a haunting site. Kentucky is also home to at least 20 ghost towns, including Barthell, Creelsboro and Scuffletown.

Towns steeped in ghost stories and a haunting maritime history bolster Maine's spooky rating. Maine’s oldest city, Kittery, was founded in 1623, making it the fifth-oldest city in the USA. There are centuries' worth of ghouls hovering around, but pay particular attention to Boon Island Light, near York. The lighthouse dates back to at least the 1700s and bears a sombre story: the crew of a ship that was wrecked here had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. It’s said it’s still haunted

Home to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692, Massachusetts has its fair share of haunted happenings. Pictured here is Salem's Joshua Ward House, a Federal-style historic house where Sheriff Corwin – the high sheriff of Essex County at the time – lived and tortured supposed witches. His ghost is said to haunt the building, even though his body is buried at Broad Street Cemetery.

With Hartford’s haunted railroad bridge, the resident ghosts at the University of Vermont (pictured) and St Albans’ jail-turned-theatre, there are plenty of weird goings-on in Vermont. It ranked in 16th place in MoveBuddha's list thanks to its string of ghost towns and abandoned sites, including the Greenbanks Hollow Covered Bridge in Danville.

Steering into the top 15 haunted states is New York, which also received the highest Creep Score of any other state on MoveBuddha's list. It has a high rate of unsolved murders and more notable abandoned places – especially in the western and upstate regions – than anywhere else. Pictured here is the deserted-but-not-forgotten Wonder Bread Factory, which looms over Buffalo's East Side.

Given its raucous Wild West history, it's unsurprising that South Dakota appears high on the list. Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood is the final resting place of the likes of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, and many visitors have said they feel like they’re being watched or have noticed weird presences. But it's not just the cemeteries that are haunted, as South Dakota has hundreds of ghost towns, from Allerton in Lawrence to Big Bottom in Meade.

Maryland just missed out on the top 10 spot, but it did rank fifth in the top states that will give you the creeps, partly due to its notable abandoned buildings – like Holland Island in Toddville, pictured here. Between the 17th and early 20th centuries, this former fishing village thrummed with life, but it slowly eroded away until all that was left was this house, which has sadly since collapsed. Today, various debris lies underwater – we can’t help but wonder what secrets went down with the town.

These are America's most historic towns and cities

Alabama is home to a high number of ghost towns, like Claiborne, which was one of the largest settlements in the area but abandoned in the 1870s. Pictured here is Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. Dating to 1822, it's the state's oldest cemetery, and ghost children have been spotted playing here, according to witnesses.

Narrowly missing out on the top 10 spot, Illinois managed second place for the top 10 states that will give you the creeps. The state has almost 245 unsolved murder cases and 16 notable abandoned buildings, but it’s the still-active, 19th-century-built Congress Plaza Hotel that really gives us the creeps. It’s said this glam spot is home to the spirit of a worker who died during the property’s construction.

In tenth place is Missouri, with its abandoned ghost towns, schools and hospitals making it a prime spot for spooky sightings. Its oldest city, Saint Genevieve, was established in 1735 and this is also where the state’s oldest cemetery lies. Pictured here is the Old Brick House; built in 1780, it's the oldest brick building west of the Mississippi River and is said to be haunted.

The Lone Star State's ghost towns and haunting spots catapult it into the top 10. And out of all of Texas’s haunted houses and locations, The Alamo (pictured) in San Antonio is considered to be the eeriest of all. This is where the historic Battle of Alamo took place in 1836. There were hundreds of casualties as a result, and it's said that the spirits of those who lost their lives still remain here.

With a total score of 8.60, MoveBuddha ranked Indiana as the eighth most haunted state in the nation. This is thanks to its countless ghost towns – Chesapeake, Kickapoo, Prairieville to name a few – as well as its roster of haunted places, including the haunted French Lick Springs Hotel (pictured), which has a pretty big supernatural reputation.

There are lots of abandoned communities in Oklahoma, due to the oil-boom or lumber-mill towns that particularly suffered during the Great Depression – in fact, there are some 290 ghost towns and apparently 1,900 documented ghost sightings to go with them. Pictured here is Durant’s Fort Washita, which is said to be haunted by a woman who was murdered here in the 19th century.

With a high density of ghost towns, Alaska is just nudged out of the top five. One of The Last Frontier's spookiest spots is The Alaskan Hotel and Bar in Juneau (pictured). It was established in 1913 and is the site of many alleged sightings of ghosts and apparitions, particularly in Room 315. To crank up the spook factor even more, take a Halloween ghost tour of Baranof Castle in Sitka, which was once home to Russian governors in the 19th century and is today apparently home to the spirit of a Russian woman.

These American discoveries remain steeped in mystery

Creeping towards the top spot is Pennsylvania, with an 8.64 total rating. The state is home to Gettysburg, the historic site of one of the deadliest battles of the Civil War. Many believe the ground is still haunted by the souls of Union and Confederate soldiers – and with more than 50,000 casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg, there’s no wondering why there have been loads of ghost stories and sightings.

Sadly, there are more than 19,000 unsolved murders in Florida and it has plenty of creepy old abandoned buildings as well. Pictured here is Cape Romano Dome on Marco Island, which has a whole haunted history in itself, although the buildings now lie submerged underwater. Paranormal activity has also been recorded at St Augustine Lighthouse, located in the nation's oldest city of St Augustine, which was founded back in 1565. It's fair to say that the Sunshine State might just give you the creeps.

West Virginia may be small (there are just under two million residents), but what it lacks in population it more than makes up for in graveyards. There are over 18,530 cemeteries in the state, with the oldest dating back to 1734, but one particularly creepy place is Mercer County’s Lake Shawnee Amusement Park (pictured), which was abandoned in the 1960s. Today you can go on organised ghost hunts there.

Cinching second place is Michigan, which also came fourth in the top 10 states that will give you the creeps. It’s a suitably scary spot for Halloween spooks due to the high density of haunted locations, like Niles Scream Park. There’s also the First State Prison (pictured) in Jackson, which closed in 1934 and was later renovated into a residence and studio for local artists. It may look normal on the outside, but many have felt strange presences there over the years.

New Mexico was named as the nation's most haunted state. With its ancient history, Wild West spots and slew of abandoned buildings, this spooky state is full of ghostly encounters. Pictured here is the Acoma Pueblo, thought to be the oldest continuously occupied site in the Western Hemisphere. Here you'll also find a 2,000 square foot (185sqm) graveyard, which is said to be haunted. 

Abandoned, haunted and creepy: now check out America's most terrifying places