From Alaska to Wyoming, these towns are the coldest spots in each state in the US
Spanning many climate zones, the United States can experience both extreme hot and cold temperatures. And while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a relatively warmer, wetter winter overall this year, certain areas of the country will undoubtedly have lower temperatures than others.
Of course, states like Alaska, home to the lowest temperature ever recorded in the United States – 80 degrees below zero just north of Fairbanks in 1971 – are generally colder than states like Arizona and Florida. Yet temperatures vary drastically within states, even the warmer ones.
24/7 Wall St. has determined the coldest town in each state by identifying those places with the lowest average annual temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Many of the coldest towns are found in more rural areas. Urban areas are filled with concrete and asphalt, which absorb thermal and solar energy at much higher rates than natural landscapes and therefore often have higher temperatures than rural areas. Other factors, like the concentration of industry and automobiles, also help explain why temperatures tend to be higher in cities.
One town may also be colder than another due to several geographic features, including elevation, proximity to bodies of water, and distance from the equator.
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Hamilton
• Avg. low temp.: 45.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 26.2° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 94
2. Alaska
• Coldest town: Deadhorse
• Avg. low temp.: 11.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -23.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 291.9
3. Arizona
• Coldest town: Bellemont
• Avg. low temp.: 25.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 11° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 246.7
4. Arkansas
• Coldest town: Lead Hill
• Avg. low temp.: 43.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 21.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 109.1
5. California
• Coldest town: Boca
• Avg. low temp.: 24.1° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 11° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 269.2
6. Colorado
• Coldest town: Crested Butte
• Avg. low temp.: 17.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -7.6° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 265.7
7. Connecticut
• Coldest town: Norfolk
• Avg. low temp.: 36.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 12.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 150.6
8. Delaware
• Coldest town: Bear
• Avg. low temp.: 43.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 23.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 106.8
9. Florida
• Coldest town: Milton
• Avg. low temp.: 53.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 36° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 37.4
10. Georgia
• Coldest town: Blairsville
• Avg. low temp.: 43.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 24.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 102.7
11. Hawaii
• Coldest town: Kula
• Avg. low temp.: 55.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 52.6° F (February)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 0
12. Idaho
• Coldest town: Stanley
• Avg. low temp.: 17.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -1.8° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 291.6
13. Illinois
• Coldest town: Streamwood
• Avg. low temp.: 34.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 10.6° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 161.5
14. Indiana
• Coldest town: Wanatah
• Avg. low temp.: 37.3° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 13.3° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 145.7
15. Iowa
• Coldest town: Sheldon
• Avg. low temp.: 32.5° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 3.7° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 178.9
16. Kansas
• Coldest town: Goodland
• Avg. low temp.: 34.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 13.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 173.5
17. Kentucky
• Coldest town: Grayson
• Avg. low temp.: 39.3° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 20.2° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 132.7
18. Louisiana
• Coldest town: Monroe
• Avg. low temp.: 50.1° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 31.2° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 61.5
19. Maine
• Coldest town: Allagash
• Avg. low temp.: 24.5° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -7.6° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 208.1
20. Maryland
• Coldest town: Oakland
• Avg. low temp.: 36.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 15.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 151
21. Massachusetts
• Coldest town: Ashfield
• Avg. low temp.: 32.1° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 9.4° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 180.4
22. Michigan
• Coldest town: Clarksburg
• Avg. low temp.: 25.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -0.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 212.3
23. Minnesota
• Coldest town: Embarrass
• Avg. low temp.: 22.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -6.2° F (February)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 227.2
24. Mississippi
• Coldest town: Holly Springs
• Avg. low temp.: 46.3° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 26.7° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 87.2
25. Missouri
• Coldest town: Bunker
• Avg. low temp.: 38.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 15.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 137.2
26. Montana
• Coldest town: Wisdom
• Avg. low temp.: 19.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 1° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 277.2
27. Nebraska
• Coldest town: Agate
• Avg. low temp.: 29.0° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 7.8° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 202.6
28. Nevada
• Coldest town: Mountain City
• Avg. low temp.: 24.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 9.9° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 247.4
29. New Hampshire
• Coldest town: Colebrook
• Avg. low temp.: 28.0° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -0.5° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 196
30. New Jersey
• Coldest town: Sussex
• Avg. low temp.: 37.9° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 15.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 142.6
31. New Mexico
• Coldest town: Eagle Nest
• Avg. low temp.: 22.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 1.7° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 239.2
32. New York
• Coldest town: Saranac
• Avg. low temp.: 27.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 1.6° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 201.4
33. North Carolina
• Coldest town: Jefferson
• Avg. low temp.: 38.0° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 20.4° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 140.3
34. North Dakota
• Coldest town: Belcourt
• Avg. low temp.: 24.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -6.2° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 205.2
35. Ohio
• Coldest town: Canfield
• Avg. low temp.: 36.3° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 14.5° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 152.2
36. Oklahoma
• Coldest town: Boise City
• Avg. low temp.: 40.1° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 19.9° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 133.8
37. Oregon
• Coldest town: Seneca
• Avg. low temp.: 24.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 11.3° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 247.7
38. Pennsylvania
• Coldest town: Clarence
• Avg. low temp.: 32.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 12.8° F (February)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 184
39. Rhode Island
• Coldest town: Kingston
• Avg. low temp.: 39.0° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 18.4° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 135.6
40. South Carolina
• Coldest town: Salem
• Avg. low temp.: 44.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 25.3° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 99.2
41. South Dakota
• Coldest town: Rochford
• Avg. low temp.: 21.3° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 3.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 256.8
42. Tennessee
• Coldest town: Mountain City
• Avg. low temp.: 39.8° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 21.6° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 126.4
43. Texas
• Coldest town: Dalhart
• Avg. low temp.: 37.5° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 16.8° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 152.8
44. Utah
• Coldest town: Coalville
• Avg. low temp.: 21.9° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 4.7° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 258.4
45. Vermont
• Coldest town: Sutton
• Avg. low temp.: 26.4° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 204.8
46. Virginia
• Coldest town: Monterey
• Avg. low temp.: 35.5° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 16.2° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 157.5
47. Washington
• Coldest town: Republic
• Avg. low temp.: 31.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 16.1° F (December)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 181.4
48. West Virginia
• Coldest town: Marlinton
• Avg. low temp.: 33.2° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 13.4° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 177.8
49. Wisconsin
• Coldest town: Butternut
• Avg. low temp.: 27.6° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: 0.8° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 195.4
50. Wyoming
• Coldest town: Bondurant
• Avg. low temp.: 18.7° F
• Avg. low temp. during coldest month: -3.1° F (January)
• Avg. no. of days that reach 32° F or below: 264.9
Methodology
To identify the coldest town in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the average minimum temperature for the years between 1981 and 2010 for U.S. cities from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA collects temperatures observed by local weather stations.
Additional data points, including average low temperatures during the coldest month in each town and the average number of days when the temperature reaches 32° F or below also come from the NOAA. These averages include all years between 1981 and 2010 for which data is available.
Census-designated places and township communities were included in addition to towns for certain states where the required data sets were available.
24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.