For centuries, vampires have had a pretty specific real-estate wishlist: somewhere with long nights, plenty of coffins, easy access to blood, and as little sunlight as possible. Add a few bats, a cemetery or two, and a local population that won’t blink at a late-night stranger with an unusually intense stare, and you’re getting close to Count Dracula’s ideal home base. But beyond Transylvania’s castles and Forks’ famously gray skies, which American cities would actually offer the best quality of life—or rather, afterlife—for a vampire?
To find out, NapLab conducted a comparative analysis of the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas across 14 data-based factors, weighted by importance. We considered everything from the cost of a coffin and number of bat species to sunny days, cemeteries, hospitals, nightlife, and local interest in vampire media. Each city received a score from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most vampire-friendly conditions. For a full look at the data points analyzed in this study, check out the sources here.
Consider this your invitation in … and keep reading to discover the U.S. cities where vampires could truly thrive after dark.
The 13 Best U.S. Cities to Be a Vampire
A vampire’s dream city needs more than a creepy old mansion and a nearby blood bank. The best places for the undead offer enough darkness to stay out of trouble, enough nightlife to blend in after sunset, and plenty of practical amenities for a long, coffin-based existence. These 13 cities came out on top, proving that you don’t need to move to Transylvania to find a vampire-friendly place to call home.
1. Cleveland, OH — 70.19
- Cleveland earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (13.09).
- Its Romanian population share was 0.464%, earning the maximum factor score.
- The city also received maximum factor scores for funeral homes per 100k residents (20.83), bars/clubs per 100k residents (72.65), and hospitals per 100k residents (4.54).
2. Salt Lake City, UT — 69.13
- Salt Lake City earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (12.44).
- It received maximum factor scores for search interest in “Nosferatu” (68), “Count Dracula” (74), and “The Twilight Saga” (88).
- The city also earned maximum factor scores for funeral homes per 100k residents (16.42), bars/clubs per 100k residents (67.18), and hospitals per 100k residents (5.47).
3. Riverside, CA — 64.96
- California’s 25 bat species earned Riverside the maximum factor score for this factor.
- Riverside earned the maximum factor score for search interest in “Count Dracula” (72).
- It also received maximum factor scores for funeral homes per 100k residents (13.08) and hospitals per 100k residents (4.76).
4. Pittsburgh, PA — 62.23
- Pittsburgh earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (53.77).
- Search interest in “Nosferatu” was 71, earning the city the maximum factor score.
- It also received maximum factor scores for funeral homes per 100k residents (32.73), bars/clubs per 100k residents (98.85), and hospitals per 100k residents (6.01).
5. Cincinnati, OH — 61.82
- Cincinnati earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (29.46).
- It also earned the maximum factor score for funeral homes per 100k residents (11.65).
- The city’s 73.48 bars/clubs per 100k residents received the maximum factor score.
6. Hartford, CT — 59.48
- Hartford’s 120 sunny days earned the maximum factor score for limited sunshine.
- It received the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (38.92).
- Hartford also earned maximum factor scores for funeral homes per 100k residents (46.38), bars/clubs per 100k residents (59.63), and hospitals per 100k residents (5.80).
7. Birmingham, AL — 58.81
- Birmingham had 114.96 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning the maximum factor score.
- Its 17.95 funeral homes per 100k residents also earned the maximum factor score.
- Birmingham received the maximum factor score for hospitals per 100k residents (4.37).
8. St. Louis, MO — 58.29
- St. Louis earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (35.27).
- It also received the maximum factor score for funeral homes per 100k residents (12.67).
- The city’s 4.79 hospitals per 100k residents earned the maximum factor score.
9. Buffalo, NY — 55.99
- Buffalo earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (31.52).
- Its 20.49 funeral homes per 100k residents also received the maximum factor score.
- Buffalo earned the maximum factor score for bars/clubs per 100k residents (74.86).
10. Seattle, WA — 55.80
- Seattle’s Romanian population share was 0.335%, earning the maximum factor score.
- Search interest for “The Vampire Diaries” was 88, also earning the city the maximum factor score.
- Its average cost of a coffin was $7,659, receiving a factor score of 4.7.
11. Providence, RI — 53.81
- Providence earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (13.26).
- Its 22.10 funeral homes per 100k residents also received the maximum factor score.
- Providence earned the maximum factor score for bars/clubs per 100k residents (80.68).
12. Portland, OR — 53.16
- Portland’s Romanian population share was 0.380%, earning the maximum factor score.
- It earned the maximum factor score for search interest in “Nosferatu” (80) and “The Twilight Saga” (100).
- The city also received maximum factor scores for its $7,551 average coffin cost and 61.52 bars/clubs per 100k residents.
13. Nashville, TN — 52.66
- Nashville earned the maximum factor score for cemeteries per 100k residents (21.40).
- Search interest in “The Vampire Diaries” was 70, earning the city the maximum factor score.
- Its 4.98 religious organizations per 100k residents received a factor score of 4.0.
The 10 U.S. Cities Safest From Vampires
Of course, not every city is built for eternal life after dark. From relentless sunshine to fewer coffin-friendly accommodations and less enthusiasm for vampire culture, some places offer conditions even Dracula would think twice about. These are the 10 U.S. cities safest from vampires—at least according to our data-backed ranking, where lower scores are better!
1. New York, NY — 27.61
- New York received the lowest possible factor score of 0.0 for cemeteries per 100k residents (0.39).
- It also received the lowest possible factor score of 0.0 for funeral homes per 100k residents (0.39).
- With 0.15 hospitals per 100k residents, the city received the lowest possible factor score of 0.0 for hospital access.
2. Philadelphia, PA — 35.30
- Philadelphia had 2.78 cemeteries per 100k residents, receiving a low factor score of 1.0.
- Pennsylvania had 9 bat species, earning the city a low factor score of 0.6.
- Its 1.01 hospitals per 100k residents received a low factor score of 1.1.
3. Jacksonville, FL — 35.50
- Jacksonville had 2.66 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning a low factor score of 0.9.
- Search interest in “Sinners” was 61, receiving a factor score of 0.3.
- The city’s 8.10 bars/clubs per 100k residents earned a low factor score of 0.6.
4. San Jose, CA — 35.75
- San Jose had 1.79 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning a low factor score of 0.6.
- With 260 sunny days, the city received a low factor score of 1.0 for sunshine.
- Search interest in “The Vampire Diaries” was 39, earning the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
5. Boston, MA — 35.89
- Massachusetts had an average coffin cost of $9,545, earning Boston the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- Search interest in “Count Dracula” was 45, receiving the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- Search interest in “The Twilight Saga” was 43, earning a factor score of 0.2.
6. Washington, DC — 36.03
- Washington had 27.15 religious organizations per 100k residents, earning the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- The District had 7 bat species, receiving the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- Search interest in “Count Dracula” was 47, for a factor score of 0.4.
7. Denver, CO — 37.52
- Denver had just 0.53 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning a factor score of 0.1.
- With 245 sunny days, the city received a factor score of 1.4 for sunshine.
- Its 0.79 hospitals per 100k residents earned a factor score of 0.8.
8. Minneapolis, MN — 37.75
- Minnesota had an average coffin cost of $9,697, earning Minneapolis the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- The city had 20.96 religious organizations per 100k residents, also receiving the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- Minnesota had 8 bat species, earning a factor score of 0.3.
9. Dallas, TX — 37.76
- Dallas had 3.34 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning a factor score of 1.2.
- Search interest in “Nosferatu” was 46, receiving a factor score of 0.2.
- The city’s 15.79 bars/clubs per 100k residents earned a factor score of 1.2.
10. Charlotte, NC — 38.53
- Charlotte had 4.32 cemeteries per 100k residents, earning a factor score of 1.6.
- Search interest in “Nosferatu” was 45, receiving the lowest possible factor score of 0.0.
- Its 0.86 hospitals per 100k residents earned a factor score of 0.9.
The U.S. Cities Most Obsessed With Vampires
From the gothic dread of Nosferatu to the Southern vampire energy of Sinners to the enduring fandoms behind The Vampire Diaries and The Twilight Saga, these stories continue to give people plenty to sink their teeth into.
To see where vampire culture has the strongest pull, we analyzed Google search interest for four major vampire-media titles. These are the cities that showed the highest search interest for each title below.
Sinners
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Washington, DC
- Riverside, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
Nosferatu
- Portland, OR
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Richmond, VA
- Las Vegas, NV
The Vampire Diaries
- Atlanta, GA
- Nashville, TN
- Orlando, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- Birmingham, AL
The Twilight Saga
- Portland, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Seattle, WA
- San Antonio, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
Portland, OR and Salt Lake City, UT stood out as the only cities to appear on multiple lists. Both ranked among the top cities for search interest in Nosferatu and The Twilight Saga, suggesting their vampire fandom runs both classic and sparkly.
“We created this study in the spirit of fun, ultimately looking to map out where Americans have the best shot at spotting a vampire,” said Derek Hales, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of NapLab. “If you find yourself sleeping upside down, in a coffin, or struggling to sleep at night, visit NapLab.com to find the mattress of your dreams, and get back to feeling human again!”
Derek Hales, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of NapLab
Full Data: The Best U.S. Cities to Be a Vampire
Closing Thoughts
Whether your city is a vampire haven or one of the country’s safest places from the undead, one thing is universal: everyone needs a good place to sleep. Fortunately, finding the right mattress doesn’t require moving into a castle or sleeping through the daylight.
No matter if you sleep upside-down, on your back in a coffin, or like a typical human, NapLab has a personalized mattress recommendation for you. Take our personalized quiz to find the mattress of your dreams today!
Methodology
To determine the best U.S. cities for vampires, we comparatively analyzed the 50 most populous U.S. MSAs across 14 data-based factors, weighted according to importance. The factors are listed below, in full. Each city was given a score totaling between 0 and 100, with 100 representing the maximum score. All data was collected in August & September of 2026. The most recently updated available data was used for each factor. The cities with the lowest scores make up the “Safest Cities from Vampires.” “The U.S. Cities Most Obsessed With Vampires” is based on analysis of Google Trends search data for a few pieces of popular vampire media from August 2025 to August 2026. The top cities had the highest relative search interest for each media, respectively, over that time period.
| Ranking Factor | Source | Direction | Weight | Connection to Vampires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitals per 100k Residents | CMS | Higher is better | High | Vampires drink blood. Good occupation for a vampire. |
| Cemeteries per 100K Residents | Find a Grave | Higher is better | High | Vampires sleep in coffins. |
| Funeral Homes per 100k Residents | BLS | Higher is better | High | Vampires sleep in coffins. Good occupation for a vampire. |
| Average Annual Count of Sunny Days | Best Places | Lower is better | High | Vampires cannot be in the sunlight. |
| Average Coffin Price (in State) | World Population Review | Lower is better | Medium | Vampires sleep in coffins. |
| Bars/Clubs per 100k Residents | BLS | Higher is better | Medium | Vampires are active at night. |
| Percentage of Romanian Residents | Census | Higher is better | Medium | Vampires are traditionally thought to originate from Transylvania, a region in Romania. |
| Count of Statewide Bat Species | World Population Review, DOEE | Higher is better | Medium | Vampires are often associated with—and sometimes able to transform into—bats. |
| Religious Organizations per 100k Residents | BLS | Lower is better | Low | Vampires don’t like holy objects and consecrated ground, because it may kill them. |
| Search Interest for “Sinners” | Google Trends | Higher is better | Low | Vampires may be looking for content about vampires, and fans of vampires are also helpful for having vampire sympathizers. |
| Search Interest for “Nosferatu” | Google Trends | Higher is better | Low | Vampires may be looking for content about vampires, and fans of vampires are also helpful for having vampire sympathizers. |
| Search Interest for “Count Dracula” | Google Trends | Higher is better | Low | Vampires may be looking for content about vampires, and fans of vampires are also helpful for having vampire sympathizers. |
| Search Interest for “The Vampire Diaries” | Google Trends | Higher is better | Low | Vampires may be looking for content about vampires, and fans of vampires are also helpful for having vampire sympathizers. |
| Search Interest for “The Twilight Saga” | Google Trends | Higher is better | Low | Vampires may be looking for content about vampires, and fans of vampires are also helpful for having vampire sympathizers. |
Fair Use
You are welcome to use, reference, and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts, and context.
