Arachnophobia Surges Across the U.S. During Spider Season

Arachnophobia is not just a passing concern — it is a growing topic of interest across the United States, with some states experiencing dramatic spikes in search volumes.

Search engine analysis by Althea Soft between November 2022 and October 2024 reveals heightened public curiosity, shown by a surge in searches for arachnophobia, a spider-related anxiety disorder, across the United States.

This data was then used to analyze population trends and identify arachnophobia hotspots, giving valuable insights into where spiders may be lurking and the rise in arachnophobia-related anxiety.

In first place comes the state of California with an estimated 20,595 arachnophobes, which accounts for 0.05% of the Californian population.

Overall, the Californian region experienced a significant 18.75% increase in searches, jumping from 6,600 searches in 2022 to 1900 in October 2024.

The biggest spike within California is seen in San Diego, with searches for arachnophobia rising from 260 to 720 in November 2024 — a startling 176.92% increase.

San Diego is experiencing an explosion in orb weaver spiders which are famous for spinning large webs that can span the length of a six-foot walkway.

In second comes Louisiana which has a 51.28% increase in searches for arachnophobia.

There is an estimated 7751.27 arachnophobes which means 1 in 588 people are expected to fear spiders. Louisiana is home to a variety of spiders including the Black Widow, Jumping and Wolf Spiders, who are large hairy spiders that hunt on the ground.

There was a 50% increase in searches for arachnophobia in New Orleans, followed by Lafayette City, with a 27.27% increase.

In third place is Alabama, with a 22.03% increase in search volume, increasing from 590 to 720. An estimated 7095.09 individuals are searching for arachnophobia.

The city of Birmingham has had an extraordinary 88.89% rise in searches along with Montgomery with 57%.

This suggests an estimated 1 in 720 people in Alabama suffers from arachnophobia.

Surprisingly, despite having a higher estimated arachnophobia population Arkansas (-33.33%) and Georgia ( -34.48%) both experienced reductions in searches for arachnophobia anxiety, but more of the population is more likely to suffer with it.

Hawaii, famous for its variety of spiders, most notably the rainforest dwelling “happy” spider, remained consistent with 260 searches and an estimated 5519.76 arachnophobes in the population.

Mississippi, home to a variety of deadly and non-deadly spiders, rounded off the table with an estimated 4982 arachnophobes and a 22.92% rise in people who are estimated to have arachnophobia-related anxiety.

Laura Free from Althea Soft comments, “Arachnophobia can be debilitating, especially during spider season when colder weather drives spiders indoors.”

“It is important to monitor your anxiety levels, and by preparing for potential encounters you can reduce stress. Mindfulness and meditation strategies are effective tools for managing and alleviating these stress levels.”

“On a practical level minimize clutter in your home and take measures to prevent spiders from entering by sealing up cracks in walls, windows and doors. Also, if you live in an area where spiders weave larger webs, remain vigilant of spider webs on gates and other outdoor areas.”

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