America: 60% Haunted, 40% in Denial

What are the chances you celebrate Halloween by… seeing a real demon, not just the ones who show up at your front door, begging for peanut butter cups?

According to a new poll, 60% of Americans say they’ve had at least one paranormal experience.

That’s a lot of haunted basements. But don’t worry… only 7% claim to have seen a demon, so we’re still doing better than most horror movies.

Here’s what people say they’ve experienced:

• 35% have felt a presence or strange energy.
• 32% have smelled something weird with no explanation (so, either a ghost or a teenager’s gym bag).
• 31% have heard unexplained sounds or music.
• 26% have heard a disembodied voice or felt an unexpected chill.
• 16% have actually seen a ghost.

Interestingly, men are more likely than women to believe their paranormal encounters have scientific explanations, even if they can’t say what those are. (“It’s not a ghost, babe, it’s just… uh… atmospheric pressure or something.”)

In general, about 40% of Americans believe in ghosts, demons, and psychics, but only 6% believe in vampires and werewolves.

So we’ll talk to the dead, but we draw the line at “Twilight”.

Among the ghost-seers, 31% say their ghosts were good, 8% say evil, and 24% say neutral. So apparently, even in the afterlife, most spirits are just minding their own business.

Oh, and 7% of people say they can communicate with the dead… nbd.

Which probably explains why group chats get so weird around 3 a.m.

So yeah, next time you hear a bump in the night, it’s either your cat, a draft, or the 60% of Americans who apparently live in a haunted house.