The Best U.S. Cities for Alien and UFO Sightings

Have you ever found yourself gazing at the night sky, wondering if that peculiar saucer-shaped object hovering above was, in fact, a genuine UFO? Or perhaps pondering the existence of little green beings from another world?

With infamous incidents like the Roswell flying saucer crash and the release of a UFO report by the U.S. intelligence community, Americans’ obsession with aliens continues to grow.

In our quest to unveil the best cities for alien and UFO sightings, we narrowed down a list of 100 U.S. cities to see which ones had the most alien activity.

Keep reading to see which cities offer the highest likelihood of encountering otherworldly phenomena and, quite possibly, bring you one step closer to the captivating realm of close encounters.

The 15 U.S. Cities You’re Most Likely to Encounter a UFO

When it comes to the pursuit of UFOs and encounters with aliens, not all cities are created equal. In an effort to determine the prime locations, we meticulously ranked cities based on various factors that increase the likelihood of success. For instance, the presence of nearby farms can contribute to an upsurge in crop circles — a phenomenon often associated with extraterrestrial activity.

Moreover, we took into account key elements such as the level of light pollution, cloud coverage, artificial brightness, and the percentage of the population experiencing vision difficulties. These factors play a crucial role in not only determining the visibility of UFOs but also the level of trust one can place in UFO sightings.

To gauge the interest and dedication of each city’s inhabitants, we delved into the number of reported UFO sightings and analyzed search trends for terms like “UFOs” and “Extraterrestrials.” By doing so, we sought to uncover the enthusiasm with which people in different cities track and investigate the presence of UFOs.

Tucson, Arizona, is the premier city when it comes to your chances of experiencing a UFO sighting, earning a score of 73.1 out of 100. The residents of Tucson have a rate of 45.06 UFO reports per 100,000 individuals.

Tucson experiences low cloud coverage (13.25%) and they also have a high search interest for “UFOs” (74) and “Extraterrestrials” (85).

The last UFO sighting reported on the National UFO database in Tucson describes a disc-shaped hovering UFO that appeared for 15 minutes on May 16, 2023. Spooky.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, secures the second position on our list with a score of 72.8 out of 100.

Albuquerque boasts a rate of 44.43 alien sightings per 100,000 residents — an indicator of the heightened extraterrestrial activity reported by its residents. The city also enjoys relatively low cloud coverage (15.7%), providing clearer skies for celestial observations and the highest search interest nationwide for both “UFOs” and “Extraterrestrials,” with a perfect score of 100 for each term.

While you are out alien hunting, you can stop by the Alien Brew Pub, located in Albuquerque, which serves up playful drinks like the Milky Way Stout, Alien Amber Ale, and Galaxy Lager.

Colorado Springs, Colorado, places third on our list as one of the top cities for UFO sightings with a score of 68.7 out of 100. Colorado Springs boasts 37.76 UFO sightings per 100K residents and very low artificial brightness ratings (2,220). This means the city’s night skies are relatively free from excessive light pollution, providing optimal conditions for those who are hoping to catch a glimpse of a UFO.

Colorado is home to the UFO Watchtower, which allows residents the chance to spot a UFO in the night sky.

Boise, Idaho, places fourth on our list with a score of 67.9 out of 100. Boise features 41.24 UFO and alien sightings per 100K people, a low artificial brightness rating (2,030), and plenty of nearby farms (11.95 per 100K people), making it a hotspot for crop circles.

The 10 U.S. Cities That Are Safest from an Alien Invasion

In the unlikely event of an alien invasion, you may be wondering which cities will become safe havens for the rest of the country.

Residents of Miami, Florida, can rest assured knowing they have a lower chance of encountering UFO beams, as the city received a score of 24.4 out of 100. With a low rate of only 7.21 UFO sightings per 100,000 residents, Miami residents are likely to survive an alien ambush.

Houston, Texas, secures the second spot on our list as one of the cities most likely to survive an alien invasion, with a score of 24.7 out of 100. With a mere 6.30 alien sightings reported per 100,000 individuals, the chances of encountering extraterrestrial activity are relatively low in this resilient city.

Houston benefits from a significant cloud coverage of 37.92%, which can serve as a natural shield, concealing the city and its inhabitants from potential dangers brought on by an alien invasion. They also feature very few farms (1.35 per 100K), which may prevent aliens from wreaking havoc in their city.

While New York City is often the backdrop for disaster films, it earns a score of 27.2 out of 100, indicating a relatively lower vulnerability to alien abduction. With a sighting rate of only 4.49 per 100,000 people, encounters with extraterrestrial beings are less common in a bustling metropolis.

Still, city goers have seen their fair share of unidentified flying objects flying over various boroughs like Manhattan. If New Yorkers haven’t seen a UFO in person, they can still scratch their alien itch by visiting the Pine Bush UFO and Paranormal Museum to learn about the history of UFOs and extraterrestrial contact.

Those in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are the fourth most likely city to evade aliens with a score of 28.3 out of 100. Philadelphians have reported only 3.64 alien sightings per 100,000 residents. The City of Brotherly Love is home to very few farms (0.83 per 100K), making it an ideal place to avoid alien detection.

Philadelphia does see some alien action, as one of the most recent reports in Philadelphia on the National UFO Reporting Center describes brilliant glowing trails of light that lasted 10 minutes.

Chicago, Illinois, secures the fifth spot on our list with a score of 29.7 out of 100. Residents of Chicago have reported a sighting rate of 5.17 alien encounters per 100,000 people.

Chicago also exhibits a relatively lower search interest for terms like “Extraterrestrials” (63) and “UFOs” (52) compared to other cities on the list.

The U.S. Cities Where Residents Report the Most UFO Sightings

We wanted to zoom in on which cities have the most alien sightings to increase your chances of seeing a UFO in person. We used the National UFO Reporting Center, which tracks UFO reports and alien sightings in cities all across America. It also provides a summary of the event, including the duration the UFO was visible, and any images.

Spokane, Washington, placed first on our list with 51.73 alien sightings per 100,000 residents. Tucson follows closely behind with slightly fewer sightings at 45.06 per 100,000 people. 

When it comes to UFO sightings, descriptions vary widely, ranging from peculiar formations of blinking lights to unidentified objects soaring through the sky.

Albuquerque placed third with 44.43 alien sightings per 100,000 people. One viral sighting, which showed six bright lights flying in an unusual formation over downtown, was captured in Albuquerque in 2021.

Meanwhile, both Boise (41.24) and Colorado Springs (37.76) demonstrate a substantial number of sightings per 100,000 residents, making them noteworthy contenders on our list.

Where Does Your City Stack Up?

Curious if you live near any UFO hotspots? Check out our table to see if your city makes the list.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it — the cities where you’re most likely to have UFO sightings! It’s no secret that spotting a UFO often comes down to chance, which is one of the main ingredients in most love stories.

Surprise your special someone today with the most romantic close encounter of their life — an engagement ring!

Methodology

To find the cities that are best for close encounters with extraterrestrials, we evaluated the 100 most populated cities in the U.S., assigning a rank to each from 1 to 100 based on a range of factors believed to influence the probability of alien sightings.

Each factor was assigned a specific weight in accordance with its assumed impact on the likelihood of such encounters. With these weightings in mind, every city examined received a score out of a possible total of 100. Higher scores indicate a city where residents would be more likely for a close encounter. A full list of our ranking factors and their sources can be found below.