SUPERSTITIOUS STATES
The most common superstitions across the U.S.
Many people believe in their own superstitions, whether they’re good or bad, but wishing for a bit of luck while hitting the slots or tables never hurt anyone. From wishing on a four leaf clover, to knocking on wood, to beginner’s luck; and broken mirrors, to the number 13, to walking under a ladder – superstitions come in many different forms. But which good and bad luck superstitions are most popular across America?
To learn more, we analyzed search terms for 32 common good and bad luck superstitions among Americans to find out which superstitions are most prevalent in each state across the country and which state has been crowned as the most superstitious.
Everyone loves having a little luck in their lives, even if it means believing in some superstitions. Wishbones, four leaf clovers, and knocking on wood are the top three most-searched good luck superstitions. Overall, Americans search for good luck superstitions 207,960 times per month.
When it comes to breaking a wishbone, Americans make 86,740 searches per month, making it the most popular good luck superstition. Finding and wishing on four leaf clovers comes in second place, with 76,490 searches being made per month. Rounding out the top three is knocking on wood with Americans making 23,620 searches per month.
We’ve discussed the most popular good luck superstitions overall, but which ones reign supreme in each state, and which are the most popular across 100 U.S. cities?
From sea to shining sea, the most popular good luck superstition is breaking a wishbone, a common Thanksgiving practice. A whopping 88% of states search for the term “wishbones” the most. “Four leaf clovers” is the most popular good luck superstition across the remaining 12% of states.
Similarly to the statewide trend, the most popular good luck superstition across 100 popular U.S. cities is breaking a wishbone. A staggering 80% of cities across the U.S. search for the term “wishbones” the most. “Four leaf clovers” is the second most popular good luck superstition in 19% of cities, while “beginner’s luck” was the top good luck superstition in just one U.S. city – Scottsdale, AZ.
On the flip side, nobody likes when they have a stroke of bad luck in life. Bad luck superstitions are quite popular among Americans, garnering over double the amount of searches compared to good luck superstitions. Overall, Americans search for bad luck superstitions 472,900 times per month.
Friday the 13th is an omen of bad luck and Americans make 285,590 searches per month, making it the most popular bad luck superstition. The devil’s number, 666, comes in second place, with 102,450 searches being made per month. Rounding out the top three is the white lighter phenomenon with Americans making 65,040 searches per month.
We’ve discussed the most popular bad luck superstitions overall, but which ones are the most believed in each state, and which are the most popular across 100 U.S. cities?
Friday the 13th is considered a day of misfortune and bad luck for many Americans, with the superstition being the most popular bad luck superstition across 98% of states. All but one, Arkansas, search “Friday the 13th” more than any other bad luck superstition. If you’re wondering what’s most popular in Arkansas, residents of the Natural State search for “666” the most.
Just like we’ve seen country-wide, the most popular bad luck superstition across 100 popular U.S. cities is “Friday the 13th,” with the superstition being the most popular bad luck superstition across 98% of cities. As for the final 2% of cities, “666” is the next most popular bad luck superstition in Fremont and Laredo.
We’ve covered the most common good and bad luck superstitions across each state and in 100 U.S. cities, but which states and cities have been ranked as the most superstitious?
The most superstitious U.S. states
| State | SEARCHES PER 10K PEOPLE |
| Illinois | 25 |
| Oregon | 24 |
| New York | 23 |
| Arkansas | 22 |
| Colorado | 22 |
| Nevada | 22 |
| Georgia | 22 |
| Ohio | 21 |
| Virginia | 21 |
| North Carolina | 21 |
| California | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 21 |
| Texas | 21 |
| Massachusetts | 21 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 |
| Arizona | 21 |
| Maryland | 20 |
| Tennessee | 20 |
| Washington | 20 |
| Missouri | 20 |
| New Jersey | 19 |
| West Virginia | 19 |
| Kentucky | 19 |
| Nebraska | 19 |
| Utah | 19 |
| Oklahoma | 19 |
| Michigan | 19 |
| Connecticut | 19 |
| Delaware | 19 |
| Vermont | 19 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Indiana | 18 |
| Alabama | 18 |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Maine | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 |
| New Hampshire | 17 |
| Iowa | 17 |
| Louisiana | 17 |
| New Mexico | 17 |
| Alaska | 17 |
| Hawaii | 17 |
| Wyoming | 17 |
| Kansas | 16 |
| South Dakota | 16 |
| Wisconsin | 16 |
| South Carolina | 15 |
| Mississippi | 15 |
| Idaho | 15 |
SHOW FULL TABLE
The most superstitious U.S. cities
| City | State | City & State | SEARCHES PER 10K PEOPLE |
| Atlanta | Georgia | Atlanta, GA | 125 |
| Orlando | Florida | Orlando, FL | 110 |
| St. Louis | Missouri | St. Louis, MO | 97 |
| Miami | Florida | Miami, FL | 95 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | Cleveland, OH | 86 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN | 81 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | Cincinnati, OH | 81 |
| Denver | Colorado | Denver, CO | 71 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh, PA | 71 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | Baltimore, MD | 66 |
| Buffalo | New York | Buffalo, NY | 65 |
| Seattle | Washington | Seattle, WA | 62 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | Las Vegas, NV | 61 |
| Tampa | Florida | Tampa, FL | 59 |
| Dallas | Texas | Dallas, TX | 57 |
| St. Paul | Minnesota | St. Paul, MN | 56 |
| Sacramento | California | Sacramento, CA | 55 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | New Orleans, LA | 55 |
| Richmond | Virginia | Richmond, VA | 55 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | Raleigh, NC | 53 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | Nashville, TN | 52 |
| Portland | Oregon | Portland, OR | 51 |
| Detroit | Michigan | Detroit, MI | 48 |
| Austin | Texas | Austin, TX | 48 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | Boston, MA | 47 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | Charlotte, NC | 46 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | Washington, DC | 45 |
| Chicago | Illinois | Chicago, IL | 45 |
| Scottsdale | Arizona | Scottsdale, AZ | 44 |
| San Francisco | California | San Francisco, CA | 43 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | Kansas City, MO | 41 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | Omaha, NE | 39 |
| Los Angeles | California | Los Angeles, CA | 38 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 38 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | 37 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | Louisville, KY | 36 |
| Houston | Texas | Houston, TX | 36 |
| Columbus | Ohio | Columbus, OH | 35 |
| Spokane | Washington | Spokane, WA | 35 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | Madison, WI | 35 |
| Honolulu | Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | 34 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | Indianapolis, IN | 34 |
| Laredo | Texas | Laredo, TX | 34 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | Virginia Beach, VA | 34 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | Phoenix, AZ | 33 |
| San Jose | California | San Jose, CA | 33 |
| Anaheim | California | Anaheim, CA | 32 |
| Riverside | California | Riverside, CA | 32 |
| San Diego | California | San Diego, CA | 32 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City, OK | 32 |
| Lubbock | Texas | Lubbock, TX | 32 |
| Norfolk | Virginia | Norfolk, VA | 32 |
| Glendale | Arizona | Glendale, AZ | 31 |
| Santa Clarita | California | Santa Clarita, CA | 31 |
| Boise | Idaho | Boise, ID | 31 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | Fort Wayne, IN | 31 |
| El Paso | Texas | El Paso, TX | 31 |
| Tucson | Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 30 |
| St. Petersburg | Florida | St. Petersburg, FL | 30 |
| Reno | Nevada | Reno, NV | 30 |
| Newark | New Jersey | Newark, NJ | 30 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | 30 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | Greensboro, NC | 30 |
| Toledo | Ohio | Toledo, OH | 30 |
| Arlington | Virginia | Arlington, VA | 30 |
| Bakersfield | California | Bakersfield, CA | 29 |
| Fremont | California | Fremont, CA | 29 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | Memphis, TN | 29 |
| San Antonio | Texas | San Antonio, TX | 29 |
| Fresno | California | Fresno, CA | 28 |
| Stockton | California | Stockton, CA | 28 |
| New York | New York | New York, NY | 28 |
| Winston-Salem | North Carolina | Winston-Salem, NC | 28 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | Jacksonville, FL | 27 |
| Lexington | Kentucky | Lexington, KY | 27 |
| Corpus Christi | Texas | Corpus Christi, TX | 27 |
| Irving | Texas | Irving, TX | 27 |
| Long Beach | California | Long Beach, CA | 26 |
| Aurora | Colorado | Aurora, CO | 26 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | Colorado Springs, CO | 26 |
| Lincoln | Nebraska | Lincoln, NE | 26 |
| Durham | North Carolina | Durham, NC | 26 |
| Plano | Texas | Plano, TX | 26 |
| Chandler | Arizona | Chandler, AZ | 25 |
| Chula Vista | California | Chula Vista, CA | 25 |
| Irvine | California | Irvine, CA | 25 |
| Santa Ana | California | Santa Ana, CA | 25 |
| Jersey City | New Jersey | Jersey City, NJ | 25 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK | 25 |
| Fort Worth | Texas | Fort Worth, TX | 25 |
| Garland | Texas | Garland, TX | 25 |
| Wichita | Kansas | Wichita, KS | 24 |
| Henderson | Nevada | Henderson, NV | 24 |
| North Las Vegas | Nevada | North Las Vegas, NV | 24 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | Anchorage, AK | 23 |
| Gilbert | Arizona | Gilbert, AZ | 22 |
| Mesa | Arizona | Mesa, AZ | 22 |
| Arlington | Texas | Arlington, TX | 22 |
| Chesapeake | Virginia | Chesapeake, VA | 22 |
| Oakland | California | Oakland, CA | 21 |
SHOW FULL TABLE
According to our data, Illinois is the most superstitious state – with its residents making 25 superstition-related searches per 10,000 people! Oregon earns second place for the most superstitious state, with residents making 24 superstition-related searches per 10,000 people. Earning the third place spot is New York, with residents making 23 superstition-related searches per 10,000 people.
So we’ve found out which states are among the most superstitious, but what about U.S. cities? Of the 100 U.S. cities we’ve ranked, Atlanta, GA is the most superstitious – per 10,000 people, residents make 125 superstition-related searches. Orlando, FL comes in second place, with residents making 110 superstition-related searches per 10,000 people. And finally, coming in third place is St. Louis, MO – where residents make 97 superstition-related searches per 10,000 people.
Using KeywordTool.io, we identified search volumes per month for common superstitions Americans believe in pulling search terms for 32 common superstitions from YouGov’s study on which superstitions Americans are most likely to believe. We identified search terms across all 50 states as well as the top 100 U.S. cities. Some search terms were adjusted in order to run a more accurate search.
The following is a list of all 32 terms we analyzed: knocking on wood, throwing salt over your shoulder, finding a penny heads up, good luck horseshoe, crossing your fingers, lucky prime numbers, ladybug landing on you, good luck ladybug, seeing a shooting star, four leaf clovers, lucky rabbit’s foot, wishbones, making a wish at 11:11, making a wish while blowing out birthday candles, kissing on New Year’s, seeing a rainbow, saying bless you when someone sneezes, being a beginner at something, beginner’s luck, blowing on dice, walking under a ladder, stepping on a crack, broken mirrors, black cat crosses path, Friday the 13th, owls bad luck, opening an umbrella indoors, 666, the thirteenth floor, white lighter, passing a cemetery without holding your breath, and going through a tunnel without holding your breath. Data is accurate as of July 8, 2024.
The concept of superstitions has been around for thousands of years, and as time goes on we’ve continued to believe in them, both the good and bad. If you’re the superstitious type and feeling lucky, head to our site to try your hand at one of our online casino games.
VISIT SLOTS PARADISE