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1 / 50Alabama: Huntsville
- #142. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 62.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 73.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 52 F
The coldest city in every state
As we head into the fall of 2026, many of us already have winter on the brain, especially with all the predictions surrounding a "Godzilla" El Niño weather pattern. This upcoming season will likely look far different from the winter of 2025-26, when The Weather Prediction Center tracked a staggering 21 significant weather events. The season included cold waves, temperature records being broken, and deadly winter storms, among other disturbances. And while it's almost guaranteed that at least some of the country will get unusually chilly weather between December 2026 and February 2027, we'll have to wait and see whether this winter will be just as brutal as the last.
But what about looking back beyond the most recent winter? Citing data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Stacker identified the coldest city in every state. The list below is based on five-year average temperatures from January 2018 to December 2022 and also includes the average daily minimum and maximum temperatures for each ranked city. Cities are ranked relative to the entire national dataset of 214 cities.
Some of these locations experience a full range of temperatures annually—from very high temperatures in the summer to nail-bitingly cold temperatures in the winter. Others simply experience cooler versions of their typically warm (or cold) weather. But whether you're looking to hike glaciers and ski down snow-packed mountains or just to enjoy a pleasant reprieve from the heat, there is likely a city here that meets your winter needs.
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sunsinger // Shutterstock
2 / 50Alaska: Utqiaġvik
- #1. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 16.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 22 F
- Average daily minimum: 11.1 F
Tim Roberts Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 50Arizona: Flagstaff
- #30. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 47.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 62.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 32.4 F
Graves Creative Design // Shutterstock
4 / 50Arkansas: Little Rock
- #141. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 62.4 F
- Average daily maximum: 72.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 52.1 F
Matt Gush // Shutterstock
5 / 50California: Eureka
- #76. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 59.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 45.7 F
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Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
6 / 50Colorado: Alamosa
- #8. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 43.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 62.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 24.5 F
Jennifer Yakey-Ault // Shutterstock
7 / 50Connecticut: Hartford
- #71. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 62.4 F
- Average daily minimum: 42 F
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
8 / 50Delaware: Wilmington
- #110. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 56.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 65.9 F
- Average daily minimum: 47.3 F
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
9 / 50Florida: Tallahassee
- #177. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 69.7 F
- Average daily maximum: 80.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 58.8 F
Mark F Lotterhand // Shutterstock
10 / 50Georgia: Atlanta
- #154. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 64.9 F
- Average daily maximum: 74 F
- Average daily minimum: 55.8 F
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Vanessa Belfiore // Shutterstock
11 / 50Hawaii: Hilo
- #50. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 76.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 83.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 69.1 F
Kirk Fisher // Shutterstock
12 / 50Idaho: Pocatello
- #32. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 47.4 F
- Average daily maximum: 61 F
- Average daily minimum: 33.7 F
Cheri Alguire // Shutterstock
13 / 50Illinois: Rockford
- #53. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 50.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 60.1 F
- Average daily minimum: 40.4 F
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14 / 50Indiana: South Bend
- #59. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 51.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 60.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 42 F
Dawid S Swierczek // Shutterstock
15 / 50Iowa: Dubuque
- #33. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 47.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 56.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 38.3 F
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Kimberly's Impressions // Shutterstock
16 / 50Kansas: Goodland
- #69. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.1 F
- Average daily maximum: 66.9 F
- Average daily minimum: 37.4 F
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17 / 50Kentucky: Lexington
- #100. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 55.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 65.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 46 F
Hegearl // Shutterstock
18 / 50Louisiana: Monroe
- #164. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 66.7 F
- Average daily maximum: 77.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 56 F
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19 / 50Maine: Caribou
- #3. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 41.7 F
- Average daily maximum: 51.6 F
- Average daily minimum: 31.8 F
Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
20 / 50Maryland: Baltimore
- #122. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 58.1 F
- Average daily maximum: 68.1 F
- Average daily minimum: 48.1 F
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21 / 50Massachusetts: Worcester
- #49. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 49.9 F
- Average daily maximum: 58 F
- Average daily minimum: 41.8 F
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22 / 50Michigan: Sault Ste. Marie
- #7. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 43.1 F
- Average daily maximum: 51.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 34.8 F
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
23 / 50Minnesota: Rochester
- #14. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 44.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 53.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 35.4 F
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24 / 50Mississippi: Tupelo
- #152. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 64.7 F
- Average daily maximum: 75.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 54.1 F
ANNVIPS // Shutterstock
25 / 50Missouri: Kansas City
- #100. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 55.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 65.6 F
- Average daily minimum: 45.6 F
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Nick Fox // Shutterstock
26 / 50Montana: Kalispell
- #8. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 43.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 55.9 F
- Average daily minimum: 31.2 F
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
27 / 50Nebraska: Scottsbluff
- #51. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 50 F
- Average daily maximum: 65.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 34.8 F
Sandra Foyt // Shutterstock
28 / 50Nevada: Ely
- #24. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 46.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 63.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 29.1 F
Cory Knowlton // Shutterstock
29 / 50New Hampshire: Mount Washington
- #1. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 29 F
- Average daily maximum: 35.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 22.7 F
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30 / 50New Jersey: Atlantic City
- #106. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 56.1 F
- Average daily maximum: 65.8 F
- Average daily minimum: 46.4 F
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PICTOR PICTURES // Shutterstock
31 / 50New Mexico: Albuquerque
- #125. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 58.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 71.1 F
- Average daily minimum: 45.9 F
Paul Juser // Shutterstock
32 / 50New York: Binghamton
- #28. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 47.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 55.4 F
- Average daily minimum: 39 F
Derek Olson Photography // Shutterstock
33 / 50North Carolina: Asheville
- #119. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 57.8 F
- Average daily maximum: 67.8 F
- Average daily minimum: 47.7 F
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34 / 50North Dakota: Grand Forks
- #2. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 39.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 50.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 28.5 F
John Judnick // Shutterstock
35 / 50Ohio: Cleveland
- #72. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 60.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 43.9 F
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Gerson Repreza // Shutterstock
36 / 50Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
- #132. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 60.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 71.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 49 F
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
37 / 50Oregon: Astoria
- #65. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 51.7 F
- Average daily maximum: 58.8 F
- Average daily minimum: 44.5 F
quiggyt4 // Shutterstock
38 / 50Pennsylvania: Scranton
- #72. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 61.7 F
- Average daily minimum: 43 F
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39 / 50Rhode Island: Providence
- #84. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 53.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 62.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 44.3 F
Ruoshi Cao // Getty Images
40 / 50South Carolina: Columbia
- #156. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 65.4 F
- Average daily maximum: 76.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 54.4 F
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Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
41 / 50South Dakota: Aberdeen
- #13. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 44.3 F
- Average daily maximum: 56.2 F
- Average daily minimum: 32.5 F
Donald R Slaughter // Shutterstock
42 / 50Tennessee: Johnson City
- #121. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 58 F
- Average daily maximum: 69.6 F
- Average daily minimum: 46.5 F
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43 / 50Texas: Amarillo
- #126. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 59 F
- Average daily maximum: 73.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 44.7 F
Abdulelah Fakhrani // Shutterstock
44 / 50Utah: Cedar City
- #62. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 51.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 66.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 37 F
yegorovnick // Shutterstock
45 / 50Vermont: Montpelier
- #17. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 45.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 55.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 35.5 F
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Cvandyke // Shutterstock
46 / 50Virginia: Washington (Dulles)
- #114. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 57 F
- Average daily maximum: 67.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 46.7 F
Kirk Fisher // Shutterstock
47 / 50Washington: Spokane
- #44. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 49.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 58.5 F
- Average daily minimum: 39.9 F
David Harmantas // Shutterstock
48 / 50West Virginia: Elkins
- #78. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 52.6 F
- Average daily maximum: 64.3 F
- Average daily minimum: 41 F
Apaullo // Shutterstock
49 / 50Wisconsin: Wausau
- #19. nationally (tie)
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 45.5 F
- Average daily maximum: 54.8 F
- Average daily minimum: 36.1 F
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
50 / 50Wyoming: Casper
- #15. nationally
- Average temperature, 2018-2022: 45.2 F
- Average daily maximum: 59.6 F
- Average daily minimum: 30.7 F
Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close.
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