Springfield Is The #1 City In The Country To Be A Ghost – Here’s Why

Ever wonder where the best place in the United States is to be a ghost? Me neither, but once I heard it was Springfield, MA I had to know why. The study was done by Upgraded Points, and they evaluated the 100 most populous cities in the country on 11 things that would decide whether a city would give ghosts a good one. Cities were then scored between 0 and 100. Springfield, which came in at #1 had a score of 61.8. Here's why you may find a Springfield ghost.

This is how Upgraded Points came up with scores. They looked at: the number of cemeteries, the graves-to-person ratio, reported ghost sightings, and the historical richness of cities. Springfield came in at #1 because of some other factors.  They have "an impressive 13.8 haunted houses per 100K households and buildings with a median age of 64 years old, offering that vintage flair. The city also has 6.6 mediums per 100K people, ensuring that spirits can communicate with their loved ones among the living."

As previously mentioned, Springfield had a total score of 61.8. Here's how the rest of the country stacked up:

#2 - Scranton, Pennsylvania (61.1)

#3 - Birmingham, Alabama (57.5)

#4 - Syracuse, New York (55.7)

#5 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (54.5)

#6 - Dayton, Ohio (54.4)

#7 - Knoxville, Tennessee (53.8)

#8 - Akron, Ohio (53.6)

#9 - New Orleans, Louisiana (53.2)

#10 - Greenville, South Carolina (52.9)

If you’re looking to get a ghost selfie or maybe even strike up a conversation with a medium, Springfield comes in at the top of your list again. They have a staggering 13.8 haunted houses per 100K households and 6.6 mediums per 100K people, practically making it Hollywood for ghosts.

Wichita, Kansas, comes in strong with 5.56 ghost sightings per 100K people. With 6 haunted houses per 100K households as well, this city offers many opportunities to come face to face with the otherworldly.

Similarly, Akron, Ohio, has 1.9 ghost sightings per 100K people and 7.9 haunted houses per 100K households, making it a city where the specters are anything but shy.

So while Salem gets all the shine this time of year, apparently another great place to go is Springfield. Enjoy!

Here it comes, it's that time of year again, ghosts, goblins, scary stories and for the not faint of heart it's haunted house season. The folks at Boston Magazine have compiled a list of the best the bay state has to offer. We have distilled the list down to the best 7 haunted in Massachusetts. The good news is, most of them are within an hour to 90 minutes away. That will give you enough time to pump yourself up and chill on the way home.

Writers Madeline Bilis and Camille Dodaro say "We love a good homemade haunted house, but if you’re searching for a semi-professional scare, look no further than these spooky attractions in Massachusetts and beyond. They’ll give you all the chills and thrills you need this Halloween."

Not everyone loves them, but the folks that do want to be good and scared and want their monies worth. They hope to leave feeling as though they have escaped a near life and death experience. That's why today's haunted house is not your grandfather's idea of one. Long gone are the days of sheet covered ghosts or corpses that rise from the casket to give you a jolt. Now it's not uncommon to be asked to sign a waiver before starting the adventure to protect the business from any potential mental or physical suffering that may come being so overly frightened.

You should be aware if you plan on attending or visiting one of these fine establishments that you might be shocked at the level of gruesomness that awaits you. These places are not looking to give you a little tremor. They want you to experience a certain level of terror. Not so much that you will lose your mind, but enough to question your decision to enter in the first place. If you're the daring type that wants to feel all the chills, these are the best places to visit.

From Boston Magazine, (Note: In general, most venues leave age appropriateness up to parents or recommend no kids under 10-12. In other words, make wise judgments and try to not traumatize your children for life.) 

Inside, the Haunted Mansion’s dramatic execution—pun fully intended—only gets better every year

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The main attraction is Haunted Fields, a 45-minute walking trail through corn stalks, orchards, and forest patches inhabited by scary actors. A more chill option is the Flashlight Maze, a seven-acre corn maze

Nashoba Valley Ski Area dresses up as Witch’s Woods. Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout October, the scream park’s premiere attraction is a haunted hayride, but there are three other macabre adventures to explore, including something called Castle Morbid.

A unique set of chills and thrills await, offering up plenty of options for haunted house aficionados. After Halloween, Factory of Terror will open for one more “Extreme Fears” weekend in November which actors can touch you—waivers required, safe words provided.

Held at the Seekonk Speedway near the Rhode Island line, the mostly outdoor destination advertises three haunted houses for a combined total of “over 45 minutes of fear,”

A Bay State spinoff from the 13th World haunted trail in Cumberland, Rhode Island, this Massachusetts fright park has its own haunted trail (something called Moonlight Mayhem)

Every fall, Six Flags morphs into Fright Fest. During the day, you can get classic scares on their rides, but it’s at night when the real ghouls come out to play. Watch out for the creepy creatures that wander the park’s Scare Zones, looking to strike terror into visitors.