Americans’ curiosity about the existence of UFOs is up more than 50% in the last year, according to Google searches. Reported sightings are more prevalent than ever on social media, so how likely are you to spot a UFO in Washington?
World UFO Day is July 2, and a review of UFO sighting reports across all 50 states is revealing where you’re most likely to make a close encounter. Or at a minimum, more people are reporting something strange.
The Pentagon recently released a third batch of UFO files, and PBS reports the White House has appointed a Harvard astronomer known for his theories about alien visits to study the national security risks posed by UFOs.
The study of UFO sightings used data from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).
In Washington, the average time of day for UFO sightings is 9:15 PM. Spokane is in the top five cities nationally for reports. The most recent Columbia Basin sighting was May 31st near West Richland, reporting a darting, shiny metal object in the sky. NUFORC says there are nearly 7,700 total UFO reports in WA, dating back to the late 1890s.
Revealed: The top 15 states where you’re most likely to spot a UFO
| Rank | State | Sightings | Sq Miles | Sightings Per 1,000 Sq Miles |
| 1 | Rhode Island | 637 | 1,034 | 616.1 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 3,083 | 7,354 | 419.2 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 2,125 | 5,543 | 383.4 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 2,889 | 7,800 | 370.4 |
| 5 | Delaware | 447 | 2,489 | 179.6 |
| 6 | Florida | 8,860 | 53,625 | 165.2 |
| 7 | Maryland | 1,984 | 12,407 | 159.9 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,271 | 8,953 | 142.0 |
| 9 | New York | 6,325 | 47,126 | 134.2 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 5,369 | 44,743 | 120.0 |
| 11 | Ohio | 4,716 | 40,861 | 115.4 |
| 12 | Washington | 7,608 | 66,456 | 114.5 |
| 13 | California | 17,113 | 155,779 | 109.9 |
| 14 | Hawaii | 705 | 6,423 | 109.8 |
| 15 | Illinois | 4,506 | 55,519 | 81.2 |
To find out, Hard Rock Bet examined UFO sighting reports across all 50 states, calculating sightings per square mile to identify the most concentrated hotspots.
Where UFO sightings are least concentrated
At the other end of the scale, Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming report the lowest UFO sightings per square mile among the states analyzed.
Obviously large populated states like California and Florida may have more overall sightings; there are also more eyes to the sky. The analysis factored in a state’s number of square miles to see how prevalent they were.
So check out the full report to see just how high the levels of UFO activity are in the country.
The Weirdest Things Washington Drivers Saw On The Side Of The Road
We asked, and you answered, here’s the top answers that our audience gave for the “Weirdest” things they’ve seen on the side of the road on their travels through the Evergreen State.
Gallery Credit: tsm/Timmy!