NEW YORK—With Halloween approaching, a new study shows that Gen Z would be the generation most likely to choose to live in a haunted house.
The study from moveBuddha explores whether Americans would be willing to live in a haunted house.
“Surprisingly, nearly half of respondents said they’d consider it—some even say they already live in one,” the company said.
"We were curious about people’s willingness to live in a haunted house," said Ryan Carrigan of moveBuddha. “It’s interesting to see how younger generations are more flexible, but still cautious when it comes to spooky real estate."
Key findings:
- 49% of respondents would live in a haunted house; 47% would never
- Yes, but: Of the “Yes” respondents, 57% would only live in a haunted house if they were paid
- 63% of Gen Z and 56% of Millennials are more willing to live in a haunted house, while older generations are more likely to say “no, never”
- 4% of respondents believe their house is already haunted, with slightly higher claims in the West (5.3%) and South (4.3%) vs. the Northeast (3.1%) and Midwest (3.7%)
Younger respondents are more likely to consider haunted living — while older generations say "never" the most. The younger the respondent, the more likely they were to consider living in a haunted house. While Baby Boomers are the most likely to say “never.”
Financial incentives for living in a haunted house matter most to younger generations. Among those who responded “Yes,” the Baby Boomers are more likely to be fine with living in a haunted house without extra incentives. Gen Z respondents are the most likely to want some monetary incentives.
Northeasterners are the least willing to live in a haunted house. While only a total of 4% (50 respondents) said their house is already haunted, it’s the West where residents claim their homes are haunted the most.
Regionally, Americans from the Northeast are the least willing to live in a haunted house, with 56% saying "no, never," while those in the West and South are more open, with 52% and 51% willing to live in one, respectively.
Methodology
The moveBuddha Haunted Homes Survey was conducted by Pollfish in October 2024. All 1,250 respondents were between the ages of 18 and 99 and located in the United States.