Overview
Colorado ranks first in the United States for online searches related to aliens and UFOs, according to a nationwide analysis reported by North Forty News. The research, conducted by iGaming and online betting research company VIP-Grinders, estimated that Colorado generated 1,328 alien-related Google searches per 100,000 residents each month. The findings were published as Halloween approaches, a period often associated with supernatural stories, unexplained phenomena and speculation about extraterrestrial life.
The analysis estimated that Americans conduct approximately 61,042 Google searches involving aliens and UFOs each day. That amounts to about 1.86 million searches per month and more than 22.2 million searches annually. However, the figures measure online interest—not confirmed sightings, verified encounters or scientific evidence that extraterrestrial life exists. The information provided about the study does not detail which search terms were included, the period examined, or the source used to calculate the estimated search volumes.
Colorado Leads the Rankings
Colorado was followed by Indiana, with 1,172 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, and Alaska, with 1,115. Massachusetts ranked fourth at 1,082, while Arizona placed fifth at 1,044. Other states in the top 10 included North Dakota, New Hampshire, Washington, Virginia and South Dakota.
The study adjusted estimated search activity for population, allowing states with different population sizes to be compared more directly. Colorado’s position is notable because it ranked ahead of states more closely associated with UFO folklore. New Mexico, home to the 1947 Roswell incident, ranked 18th, while Nevada—where the secretive Area 51 military installation has fueled decades of public speculation—ranked 27th.
The ranking should be interpreted as a measure of curiosity and internet behavior rather than a geographic map of UFO activity. Search frequency can be influenced by media coverage, tourism, local interest groups, seasonal events and changes in the terminology people use online. Without additional methodological details, it is also difficult to assess how consistently the results could be reproduced.
Prediction Markets Reflect Public Interest
The VIP-Grinders report also examined financial activity surrounding possible government disclosure about extraterrestrial life. According to the analysis, more than $37.3 million had been traded by Sept. 21, 2026, on a Kalshi prediction market asking whether the U.S. government would confirm that aliens exist.
At the time of the analysis, the market implied an approximately 19.9% chance of such a confirmation before Jan. 20, 2029. The implied probability of an announcement before Halloween was approximately 1%. Joao Mourato, VIP-Grinders’ head of iGaming product, said the level of trading showed the subject had moved beyond casual speculation for some participants.
“Twenty percent is a remarkable number to see attached to a question like this,” Mourato said. “It means traders collectively think there is a one-in-five chance the US government confirms we are not alone within the next 28 months.”
Context and Caution
Prediction-market prices reflect the views and trading decisions of participants; they do not constitute scientific evidence or guarantee that an official announcement will occur. Similarly, Google search data cannot establish that Colorado has more unexplained aerial activity than other states. The results instead offer a snapshot of public interest in UFOs, aliens and possible disclosure—an interest that continues alongside federal attention to reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly known as UAPs.
