California, Florida and Texas lead the nation when it comes to UFO sightings, according to new data from Enigma Labs.
Generally, states with large populations and wide-open skies reported the highest number, according to data by Enigma Labs based on its crowdsourced reports of unidentified flying objects.
Why It Matters
Interest in UFOs, now more commonly referred to by the federal government as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), has surged in recent years following congressional hearings, Pentagon reports and release of previously classified military footage.
That attention, researchers say, may also be driving higher public reporting rates, especially in states with large populations and active online communities.
What To Know
California tops the list by a wide margin, with more than 30,000 reported sightings, followed by Florida with over 16,000 and Texas with more than 14,000, according to Enigma Labs’ publicly available U.S. database.
New York ranks fourth nationwide, with more than 11,600 sightings.
The data reflects reports submitted by members of the public through Enigma’s website and mobile app, which launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Enigma says it has published reports of more than 33,000 U.S. sightings, alongside a larger historical database containing hundreds of thousands from other sources.
While the raw numbers favor populous states, researchers caution that sightings do not necessarily indicate unexplained activity. Many reports are later identified as aircraft, drones, satellites, weather balloons or rocket launches, particularly in states with major military installations, space industry hubs or heavy air traffic.
States rounding out the top 10 include Washington, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, each reporting thousands of sightings. Smaller or more rural states generally report fewer incidents, with Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Delaware among those with the lowest totals in Enigma’s database.
Not every report is considered credible or verified, but the platform says it reviews submissions and filters out hoaxes, duplicate entries and reports that lack sufficient detail. Its public-facing state totals reflect published sightings rather than confirmed unidentified phenomena.
What People Are Saying
Former President Jimmy Carter, in 1976, about a 1969 sighting: “I am convinced that UFOs exist because I have seen one.”
President Donald Trump, on Truth Social in February: “Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).”
What Happens Next
Federal officials say the government’s review of unidentified anomalous phenomena is ongoing, with more reports under analysis and additional records expected to be released publicly.
The Pentagon’s All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office continues to examine more than 2,000 UAP cases, including roughly 1,000 reports that currently lack sufficient data but remain archived for potential future review if new information emerges, according to Defense Department officials.