Traverse City Named Michigan’s Spookiest City, Beating Detroit, New Study Reveals

Photo by Mathias Reding

Traverse City has been named Michigan’s spookiest city, according to new research from Nomad eSIM.

The study analysed destinations across the United States, examining reported haunted locations, ghost-tour availability and monthly search interest in paranormal-related activities.

Key findings

• Traverse City is Michigan’s spookiest city, scoring 18.75/50 and ranking 42nd nationally.

• The city has 10 reported haunted locations, earning 20/50 for this factor.

• One ghost-tour listing was identified in Traverse City, earning 5/50 for ghost-tour availability.

• Traverse City recorded 20 monthly paranormal-related searches, equivalent to approximately 126 searches per 100,000 residents, earning 30/50 for search interest.

• Traverse City beats Detroit, which scored 16.25/50, despite Detroit having 16 reported haunted locations compared with Traverse City’s 10.

• Mackinac Island ranks second in Michigan, scoring 17.50/50, followed by Grand Rapids and Detroit, both scoring 16.25/50.

• Michigan ranks 12th nationally, scoring 30.50/50, with 545 reported haunted locations, three ghost-tour listings and 990 monthly paranormal-related searches.

Traverse City’s most haunted landmarks

According to HauntedPlaces.org, several historic properties in and around Traverse City have attracted stories of paranormal activity.

• Traverse City State Hospital — EHP rating: 88.9/100. Originally opened in 1885 as the Northern Michigan Asylum, the former psychiatric hospital is associated with stories of unexplained voices, ghostly children and lights switching on in supposedly empty buildings. HauntedPlaces.org features 18 visitor comments about the location.

• Mission Table – Bowers Harbor Inn — EHP rating: 87.8/100. Situated on Old Mission Peninsula, the nineteenth-century property is associated with the legend of Genevive Stickney, a former resident whose apparition has allegedly appeared in mirrors and photographs. Other stories include lights switching on unexpectedly and paintings falling from walls.

EHP (Estimated Haunted Probability) is HauntedPlaces.org’s own rating. The accounts are based on folklore and unverified visitor reports rather than confirmed paranormal activity.

Indiana narrowly misses America’s 10 spookiest states

Indiana ranks 11th nationally, with an overall spookiness score of 30.75/50.

Top 10 spookiest cities in the US

1. New Orleans

2. Savannah

3. New York City

4. Los Angeles

5. Gettysburg

6. Chicago

7. San Antonio

8. Salem

9. St. Augustine

10. Pittsburgh

Methodology

Nomad eSIM ranked destinations across the US using reported haunted locations (50%), ghost tours (25%) and monthly searches for paranormal-related terms (25%).

Data was sourced from the Shadowlands Haunted Places Index, Tripadvisor and Ahrefs. Search terms covered haunted places, ghost tours and haunted hotels.

Search interest was adjusted per 100,000 residents using US Census Bureau data, with a minimum city population of 10,000 to avoid skewed results.

Individual landmark information and EHP ratings were sourced separately from HauntedPlaces.org.