New research ranks Colorado first in extraterrestrial curiosity, with Americans conducting more than 61,000 alien-related Google searches daily.
By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Colorado residents are looking toward the skies — and searching the internet — more frequently than people in any other state when it comes to aliens and unidentified flying objects, according to a new nationwide analysis.
Research conducted by the iGaming and online betting research company VIP-Grinders ranks Colorado first in the country for alien-related Google searches, with an estimated 1,328 searches per 100,000 residents per month.
The findings arrive as Halloween approaches, a season traditionally associated with unexplained phenomena, unusual sightings, and fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
According to the study, Americans conduct approximately 61,042 Google searches related to aliens and UFOs each day. That translates to roughly 1.86 million searches per month and more than 22.2 million annually.
Colorado Ranks Above States Famous for UFO Sightings
Colorado’s ranking places it ahead of several states traditionally associated with extraterrestrial folklore.
Indiana ranked second with 1,172 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, followed by Alaska with 1,115, Massachusetts with 1,082 and Arizona with 1,044.
New Mexico, home to the famous 1947 Roswell incident, ranked 18th. Nevada, where the secretive Area 51 military installation has fueled decades of speculation, ranked 27th.
The analysis used estimated Google search volumes and adjusted the results for population, allowing comparisons between states of different sizes.
| State | Monthly searches per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|
| Colorado | 1,328 |
| Indiana | 1,172 |
| Alaska | 1,115 |
| Massachusetts | 1,082 |
| Arizona | 1,044 |
| North Dakota | 1,031 |
| New Hampshire | 1,009 |
| Washington | 992 |
| Virginia | 903 |
| South Dakota | 895 |
For Northern Colorado residents, the findings add a statewide perspective to the broader public fascination with unexplained aerial phenomena and questions about life beyond Earth.
The study measures interest in internet searches rather than confirmed UFO sightings or evidence of extraterrestrial activity.
Americans Are Also Betting on Alien Disclosure
Beyond online searches, some Americans are placing financial bets on whether the federal government will officially confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life.
According to VIP-Grinders, more than $37.3 million had been traded as of September 21, 2026, on a Kalshi prediction market addressing whether the United States government will confirm that aliens exist.
At the time of the analysis, market prices indicated an approximately 19.9% implied probability of confirmation before January 20, 2029.
The same research placed the implied probability of an announcement before Halloween at approximately 1%.
Joao Mourato, head of iGaming product at VIP-Grinders, said the trading activity demonstrates the extent of public interest in potential government disclosure.
“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.”
Mourato also noted that market expectations for a near-term announcement had declined as additional government information became available.
Prediction market prices reflect trading activity and participant expectations. They do not establish scientific evidence of extraterrestrial life or reliably predict whether a government announcement will occur.
Interest in Unexplained Phenomena Remains Strong
Federal investigations into unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly called UAPs, have contributed to renewed public discussion about objects and observations that investigators cannot immediately explain.
However, an unidentified object or event does not necessarily indicate extraterrestrial technology or activity.
The Colorado search rankings suggest that public curiosity extends well beyond locations historically associated with UFO stories.
With an estimated 42 alien-related searches occurring nationwide every minute, questions about what might exist beyond Earth remain a significant subject of American interest.
The analysis was conducted using Google Ads Keyword Planner search-volume estimates and historical Kalshi prediction market data. The rankings and trading figures were provided by VIP-Grinders and have not been independently verified by North Forty News.
More information about the research is available through the VIP-Grinders research report.
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