162 'Haunted' Places In NJ With Reported Paranormal Activity

New Jersey has no shortage of places with ghostly reputations, but only a handful can back up their spooky stories with reports of paranormal activity.

The 2026 HauntBound Index, a new national ranking of more than 6,000 supposedly haunted places, examines decades of published accounts rather than simply recycling the same old ghost stories. The list by HauntBound, a Michigan-based website specializing in haunted travel and historical ghost lore, includes historic homes, hotels, cemeteries, and other places where visitors have reported seeing things that have no earthly explanation.

Some are open for tours, some offer overnight accommodations, and others are best admired from a safe distance. Whether any of them actually have ghosts is another matter entirely.

According to HauntBound's state-by-state index, New Jersey has 162 documented locations associated with paranormal activity.

Ranking #1 on HauntBound's New Jersey list is The Southern Mansion in Cape May. Built in 1863, the seaside estate is thought to be a site where an apparition tends to bring the party spirit.

"Cape May tradition identifies Esther, the niece of George Allen who was married at the estate in 1905, as the most active presence at the Southern Mansion," HauntBound's description says. "Guests have reported a strong floral perfume drifting through rooms, the rustling of a petticoat in the hallways, laughter, and brief glimpses of a well-dressed woman dancing in the parlor. The owner of the inn has publicly described Esther as a spirit who 'wants to party,' a framing repeated in regional travel writing."

Aside from the ghostly party animal, one guest room in the house is reported by sensitive visitors as "carrying lingering tension." The owners say that a death may have occurred in that room many decades ago.

Coming in at #2 on the list, and dubbed an "upset" by HauntBound, is Leed's Point in Galloway, thought to be the birthplace of the infamous Jersey Devil.

Related: 1 In 6 NJ Residents Believe In The Jersey Devil, Poll Says

"The 1735 birth story is the core of the Leeds Point legend. Mother Leeds — the name given to the woman in the earliest versions — is said to have declared during a difficult labor that her 13th child could be the devil's," the description reads. "The newborn transformed immediately upon arrival, growing wings, a horse's head, hooves, and a forked tail, then fled up the chimney and into the surrounding Pine Barrens. The story traveled through South Jersey oral tradition for more than a century before entering print."

Other supposedly haunted spots that make the list include Clinton Road in Passaic County, Nassau Hall at Princeton University, and the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth.

More: This NJ Roadway Is The Most Haunted In The World, Ranking Says

Why Is This List Different?

There are plenty of websites and apps to help people find a good Halloween scare. HauntBound digs into something different, exploring places with reputations for being haunted long before Halloween decorations became a multimillion-dollar industry.

Instead of ranking locations by popularity or how often a ghost story gets repeated, HauntBound examines the number of independently published accounts, how thoroughly the claims have been documented, and how far back the reports go.

The index doesn't attempt to prove ghosts exist. It measures the documentation behind claims that they do.

“We do not attempt to determine whether paranormal phenomena are real, and we never count a source that only establishes a building’s history as evidence of haunting claims,” the site says.

Haunted, But Can You Visit?

The index covers 6,041 locations across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., including 5,718 classified as family-friendly and 1,983 listed as bookable.

Each location includes a family-suitability rating and information about whether visitors can tour the property, book an experience, or spend the night. A place may have a terrific ghost story but be privately owned, closed to the public, or otherwise off-limits to curious visitors.

HauntBound also identifies each state's oldest documented haunted site, the location with the most published accounts, a recommended haunted overnight stay, and a particularly family-friendly destination.

The rankings are based on research through Sept. 15, and the national index was updated Sept. 29 to remove private homes, operating hospitals, and locations with nothing left to visit.

— With reporting from Justin Heinze