What Are the Scariest States in the U.S.?

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Shelby Sebens, GoLocalPDX contributor

clowns

If you cry on the inside when you see a clown, stay away from North Dakota. Photo credit Randen Pederson, CC.

While Portland may be one of the country's weirder cities, Oregon itself isn't very scary, according to a recent list of the nation's most terrifying states.

The real estate search site Estately has ranked the Beaver State 30th when it comes to scariest states in the nation. Florida topped the list of places where your worst fears are mostly likely to come true.

States were ranked based on where people are most likely to encounter their biggest fears. The site used 15 common fears, such as snakes, lightning and yes, clowns. But while common fears such as hurricanes and sharks factored into Florida’s horrific stature, things like mosquitoes, flying cockroaches and people in giant mouse costumes didn’t.

Oregon is slightly less scary than Washington state, which scored high for bears, but more frightening than the least scary state in the nation, South Dakota.

“If you’re in Oregon, and a bear chases you into the ocean, your only hope is that the sharks devour the bear first,” the blog states. Each fear was ranked from 1-50, with one being the scariest. In Oregon, volcanoes topped the list at a 2, with bears at 6 and sharks at 7.

Too bad the country isn’t more afraid of waxed mustaches, unicycles and vegan cheese. If that were the case, Oregon would be like a zombie apocalypse in the middle of a sharknado.

Here is the complete list of states harboring everything from spiders to bears, lightning and hurricanes.

Related Slideshow: States of Fear: Bears and Snakes and Clowns, Oh My

How likely are you to encounter one of the 15 most common fears? The real estate site Estately ranked all fifty states with that question in mind. Here are states that ranked high for certain phobia, fears and heebee jeebees.

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Florida

The scariest state in the nation. It ranks high for the liklihood you will encounter hurricanes, shark attacks, tornadoes, lightning and spiders. What no alligators?

Photo Credit: Hermanus Backpackers, cc

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North Dakota

As if you needed a reason to avoid North Dakota. Estately says you should stay away if you have a fear of clowns.

Photo Credit: Randen Pederson, cc.

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Massachusetts

Need another reason to floss? Dentists are lurking around every corner in this state. Now spit.

Photo Credit: Betsssssy via Compfight cc

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Missouri

If you are not a fan of Breaking Bad, don’t go to the Show Me State. Missouri ranks first for meth labs.

Photo Credit: torbakhopper via Compfight cc

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Louisiana

Louisiana is number one for prisons. So if the idea of a chain gang gives you cold sweats, best to mind your Ps and Qs.

Photo Credit: Dylan Oliphant from LaMarque, U.S.A. - Flickr, cc

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Texas

Horrible, creepy, crawly things are everywhere in Texas. They also have a lot of spiders, according to Estately.

Photo Credit: Sam Droege via Compfight cc;

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Virginia

If you are afraid of volcanoes stay out of the Old Dominion. There's a good chance you will see volcanic activity, according to Estately. Yeah… we don’t get it either.

Photo Credit: Hike395, public domain

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Oregon

Overall Oregon scored a 'Meh' on the scare scale. While The Beaver State got high marks for bears, sharks and volcanoes, the rankings didn't even test for earthquakes. Really? Earthquakes are certainly more likely to happen in Oregon than volcanos in Virgina.

Photo credit Mohri UN-CECAR, cc