Ghost & Paranormal Belief Statistics in the US: 2026 Data
Table of Contents
- How many Americans believe in ghosts?
- Which paranormal beliefs are most and least common?
- How many Americans say they’ve experienced the paranormal?
- Who believes? Gender, age, politics and education
- Is belief in ghosts rising?
- Ghosts and real estate: haunted-house disclosure
- Why do Americans believe in ghosts?
- Frequently asked questions
- About this data
- Related guides
- Sources & references
of US adults definitely or probably believed in ghosts in YouGov’s 12 June 2026 daily poll.
YouGov daily question, 12 June 2026, 8,276 US adults
YouGov’s June 2026 daily poll found 44% of US adults definitely or probably believed in ghosts. Other surveys ask different questions: Gallup recorded 39% in May 2025, and YouGov’s detailed October 2025 study recorded 38%. These results describe reported beliefs, not evidence that ghosts exist.
US ghost & paranormal statistics at a glance
- 44% definitely or probably believed in ghosts in YouGov’s 12 June 2026 daily poll.
- In October 2025, 38% believed ghosts exist, 43% demons and 36% other supernatural beings.
- In October 2025, 50% thought some people have paranormal abilities and 29% thought they had one.
- 16% reported seeing a spirit or ghost in October 2025.
- 60% reported at least one of 13 listed paranormal experiences in October 2025.
- October 2025 ghost belief was 42% among women and 33% among men.
- Gallup classified 34% as open to the paranormal and 66% as sceptical in 2025.
- 51% thought a seller’s belief that a house is haunted should be disclosed; this was an opinion, not a legal rule.
- Gallup found five of eight beliefs statistically similar in 2001 and 2025.
- Among those who thought they had lived in a haunted house, 71% reported a presence and 62% unexplained sounds.
How many Americans believe in ghosts?
In YouGov’s 12 June 2026 daily question, 21% definitely and 23% probably believed in ghosts, giving 44% combined. Another 42% probably or definitely did not, and 14% were unsure. Gallup’s May 2025 figure was 39%, while YouGov’s October 2025 study found 38% for ghosts and 41% for psychics. Different question formats should not be treated as a continuous trend.
Which paranormal beliefs are most and least common?
Among eight phenomena tested by Gallup in May 2025, psychic or spiritual healing was most widely believed at 48%, followed by ghosts at 39%. At least half rejected clairvoyance (50%), reincarnation (50%), astrology (55%) or witches (60%). This ranking applies to the eight items tested, not every possible spiritual belief.
How many Americans say they’ve experienced the paranormal?
In October 2025, 60% of US adult citizens reported at least one of 13 experiences listed in YouGov’s survey, while 16% reported seeing a spirit or ghost. Among the 18% who thought they had lived in a haunted house, 71% reported a presence, 62% unexplained sounds and 58% unexplained smells. These are self-reports, not independently verified supernatural events.
Who believes? Gender, age, politics and education
Gallup’s 2025 analysis divides Americans into roughly 34% who are open to the paranormal and 66% who are generally sceptical. Openness is higher among women (40%), political moderates (37%) and liberals (35%), and infrequent churchgoers (40%); it is lower among men (28%), conservatives (28%), weekly churchgoers (22%) and college graduates (28%) (Gallup, 2025).
Gender
In YouGov’s October 2025 poll, 42% of women and 33% of men believed ghosts exist. Belief that some people have paranormal abilities was 55% among women and 44% among men.
Age
Age patterns vary by question. Gallup’s 2025 analysis found no meaningful age difference between its broader paranormal-openness groups. That combined classification is different from having seen a ghost or claiming a particular ability.
Is belief in ghosts rising?
Gallup found five of its eight paranormal-belief results in 2025 were statistically similar to 2001. Other beliefs changed. Neither that comparison nor differences between separate YouGov polls establish a universal rise or decline in all paranormal beliefs.
Ghosts and real estate: haunted-house disclosure
In October 2025, 51% thought a seller who believed their home was haunted should be legally required to disclose it, including 58% of women and 44% of men. This reports an opinion about what the law should require; it is not a statement of current property law.
Why do Americans believe in ghosts?
The surveys record what people believe and how they interpret experiences, rather than determining their causes. Among YouGov’s 2025 respondents who reported an experience, 33% thought an unfamiliar scientific explanation was more likely and 35% favoured a supernatural explanation. Reporting an unexplained sound or sensation is not the same as proving a ghost caused it.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Americans believe in ghosts?
44% definitely or probably believed in ghosts in YouGov’s 12 June 2026 daily poll. Gallup’s separate May 2025 poll recorded 39%, and YouGov’s detailed October 2025 poll recorded 38%.
How many Americans have seen a ghost?
16% of US adult citizens reported seeing a spirit or ghost in YouGov’s October 2025 survey. 60% reported at least one of its 13 listed paranormal experiences.
Is belief in ghosts increasing in the US?
The sources do not establish a simple overall rise. Gallup found five of eight beliefs statistically similar between 2001 and 2025; differences between polls with different questions are not a reliable trend.
Who is most likely to believe in ghosts?
In YouGov’s October 2025 survey, women were more likely than men to believe ghosts exist, at 42% versus 33%. Other subgroup patterns depend on the question and survey.
About this data
Produced by the editorial team at TarotCards.io, home to free tarot readings and astrology guides. Every figure is drawn from a named primary source, listed below, and the page is reviewed twice a year.
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Sources & references
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