A lot of Stephen King's stories are set in Maine. It's like his personal horror playground. The small towns there, with their old houses and long winters, create a perfect backdrop for the spooky tales. You also find settings like schools, which can be really creepy places in his stories. In 'Carrie', the high school is where all the horror unfolds. There are also settings related to the past, like old burial grounds or historical sites. They carry a sense of mystery and often unleash the terrors that King is so good at writing about.
The setting in Stephen King novels is crucial. For instance, in 'Salem's Lot', the small town setting adds to the horror. Small towns are supposed to be safe havens, but in King's world, they can be breeding grounds for evil. The familiarity of the town makes the horror more relatable.
It's difficult to say exactly how many short stories Stephen King has written. His bibliography is extensive, and new ones are still being discovered. Suffice it to say, it's a large and impressive collection.