Guide Rankings Culture Updated June 20, 2026

UFO Sightings by State

Starry night sky over a dark Wyoming plain with the Milky Way visible on the horizon

UFO Sightings by State

Ranking - Culture

California leads all U.S. states with 16,263 UFO reports filed with NUFORC. Alaska ranks first per capita at 113.8 sightings per 100,000 residents.

Quick Answer

UFO Sightings by State

  1. 1

    California has 16,263 UFO sightings on record with NUFORC, the most of any U.S. state. Florida ranks second with 9,152, and Washington third with 7,930.

  2. 2

    Alaska leads all states per capita with 113.8 sightings per 100,000 residents. Wyoming ranks second at 108.7 and Montana third at 107.2.

  3. 3

    Texas ranks 4th in total reports (7,476) but has just 25.6 sightings per 100,000 residents, the lowest per-capita rate among the top five states by total reports.

UFO Sighting Density Across the United States

Each hotspot represents a cluster of NUFORC reports. The Pacific Northwest, Southern California, and the Northeast corridor show the highest concentrations.
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UFO Sightings by State Table

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Print-ready table — UFO Sightings by State

States with the Most UFO Sightings

Starry night sky above the desert landscape of Joshua Tree in California
California ranks first in total UFO reports with 16,263 filings to NUFORC. Its enormous population, large number of amateur skywatchers, and dark-sky desert regions all contribute to the country's highest raw report count.

California leads all states with 16,263 total reports, nearly double Florida's second-place figure of 9,152. Washington ranks third at 7,930 with a per-capita rate of 102.9, the highest among the top five states by total count.

Texas (7,476, #4) posts just 25.6 sightings per 100,000 residents, the lowest per-capita rate in the top ten by total reports. New York (6,862, #5) sits at 34.0. Ohio (5,752) and Pennsylvania (5,521) round out the top seven.

Rank
1
State
California
Total Sightings
16263
Per 100K
41.1
Rank
2
State
Florida
Total Sightings
9152
Per 100K
42.5
Rank
3
State
Washington
Total Sightings
7930
Per 100K
102.9
Rank
4
State
Texas
Total Sightings
7476
Per 100K
25.6
Rank
5
State
New York
Total Sightings
6862
Per 100K
34.0
Rank
6
State
Ohio
Total Sightings
5752
Per 100K
48.7
Rank
7
State
Pennsylvania
Total Sightings
5521
Per 100K
42.5
Rank
8
State
Illinois
Total Sightings
4682
Per 100K
36.5
Rank
9
State
Arizona
Total Sightings
4576
Per 100K
64.0
Rank
10
State
Colorado
Total Sightings
4231
Per 100K
73.3

States with the Highest UFO Sighting Rate per Capita

Milky Way over a dark Wyoming plain with no visible artificial light
Wyoming ranks 2nd in UFO sighting rate at 108.7 per 100,000 residents. Minimal light pollution across its 576,000-person population makes sky phenomena more visible and more likely to be reported.

Alaska leads at 113.8 per 100,000 residents, with Wyoming (108.7) and Montana (107.2) right behind. All three have fewer than 1,200 total reports despite ranking first, second, and third per capita.

Washington (102.9, 4th) ranks higher per capita than every other state in the top five by total reports. NUFORC's headquarters are in Davenport, WA, which the source methodology notes may elevate Washington's count.

State
Alaska
Per 100K
113.8
Total Sightings
834
State
Wyoming
Per 100K
108.7
Total Sightings
627
State
Montana
Per 100K
107.2
Total Sightings
1162
State
Washington
Per 100K
102.9
Total Sightings
7930
State
Oregon
Per 100K
87.9
Total Sightings
3724
State
New Hampshire
Per 100K
86.9
Total Sightings
1197
State
Maine
Per 100K
80.6
Total Sightings
1097
State
West Virginia
Per 100K
77.0
Total Sightings
1381
State
Nevada
Per 100K
74.4
Total Sightings
2310
State
Colorado
Per 100K
73.3
Total Sightings
4231

Quick Answers

Which state has the most UFO sightings?
California has the most UFO sightings of any U.S. state with 16,263 reports in the NUFORC database. Florida ranks second at 9,152, and Washington third at 7,930.
Which state has the most UFO sightings per capita?
Alaska leads all states with 113.8 UFO sightings per 100,000 residents. Wyoming ranks second at 108.7, and Montana third at 107.2. All three have fewer than 1,200 total reports.
Why does Washington state have so many UFO sightings?
Washington ranks 3rd in total reports (7,930) and 4th per capita (102.9 per 100,000). NUFORC, the primary national UFO reporting database, is headquartered in Davenport, WA. That proximity may elevate Washington's counts above what its population and geography would otherwise produce.
What state has the fewest UFO sightings?
Vermont has the fewest total reports at 431, ranking 50th. North Dakota (482, #49) and Delaware (498, #48) follow. Vermont's per-capita rate of 67.0 per 100,000 ranks 11th among all 50 states.
How many UFO sightings has California had?
California has 16,263 UFO sightings on record with NUFORC, the most of any state. Its per-capita rate of 41.1 per 100,000 is well below Arizona (64.0) and Colorado (73.3), both of which rank lower in total sightings.
Which states have the highest UFO sighting rate per person?
Alaska (113.8 per 100K), Wyoming (108.7), Montana (107.2), and Washington (102.9) have the four highest per-capita sighting rates. Oregon (87.9) and New Hampshire (86.9) rank 5th and 6th.

Methodology

Sighting counts come from the NUFORC database of self-reported public submissions, 1974–2023; per-capita rates use 2020 U.S. Census figures. All reports are unverified; Washington state counts may be elevated because NUFORC is headquartered in Davenport, WA.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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