U.S. Climate Rankings
The country's coldest cities and Census-designated places, ranked from the 3,917 places with temperature in the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals.
Data updated August 2026
Coldest cities, the verdict
The coldest U.S. cities and Census-designated places top out near 13°F, concentrated in AK - Nuiqsut, AK sits at the top of the 3,917 places measured for it.
- 13°F
- the coldest reading - Nuiqsut, AK
- 26
- of the 26 displayed places are in AK
- 3,917
- ranked cities/CDPs with temperature measured
- 1991–2020
- NOAA 30-year normals window
Rankings reflect 30-year climate normals, long-run typical conditions, not any single recent year. The list includes incorporated places and Census-designated places only, not airports, parks, or other station sites.
Top 10 coldest U.S. cities and Census-designated places
The 26 U.S. cities and Census-designated places with the lowest annual average temperature, including cutoff ties.
- Nuiqsut
Nuiqsut, AK
13.4 °F
- Wainwright
Wainwright, AK
14.8 °F
- Chicken
Chicken, AK
20.2 °F
- Wiseman
Wiseman, AK
22.6 °F
- Kivalina
Kivalina, AK
22.7 °F
- Central
Central, AK
23 °F
- Deering
Deering, AK
23.2 °F
- Bettles
Bettles, AK
23.9 °F
- Tok
Tok, AK
24.2 °F
- Manley Hot Springs
Manley Hot Springs, AK
24.7 °F
The 26 U.S. cities and Census-designated places with the lowest annual average temperature, including cutoff ties. Full 26-row list below, including every location tied at the 25-place cutoff.
| # | Location | Avg Temp | High | Low | Precip | Snow | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuiqsut (AK) | 13°F (-10°C) | 20°F | 7°F | 5.7" | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | Wainwright (AK) | 15°F (-10°C) | 21°F | 9°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | Chicken (AK) | 20°F (-7°C) | 33°F | 8°F | 12.3" | 36.6" | 41/100 |
| 4 | Wiseman (AK) | 23°F (-5°C) | 34°F | 11°F | 15.9" | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | Kivalina (AK) | 23°F (-5°C) | 29°F | 16°F | 9.7" | N/A | 28/100 |
| 6 | Central (AK) | 23°F (-5°C) | 34°F | 12°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 7 | Deering (AK) | 23°F (-5°C) | 31°F | 16°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 8 | Bettles (AK) | 24°F (-5°C) | 34°F | 14°F | 16.0" | 97.9" | 34/100 |
| 9 | Tok (AK) | 24°F (-4°C) | 37°F | 12°F | 12.7" | N/A | N/A |
| 10 | Manley Hot Springs (AK) | 25°F (-4°C) | 38°F | 12°F | 14.0" | N/A | N/A |
| 11 | Northway (AK) | 25°F (-4°C) | 36°F | 13°F | 11.3" | 42.9" | 39/100 |
| 12 | Glennallen (AK) | 26°F (-4°C) | 36°F | 15°F | 18.7" | N/A | 40/100 |
| 13 | Galena (AK) | 26°F (-3°C) | 35°F | 17°F | 13.9" | 77.2" | 34/100 |
| 14 | Paxson (AK) | 26°F (-3°C) | 37°F | 16°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 15 | Eagle (AK) | 26°F (-3°C) | 39°F | 14°F | 11.5" | N/A | N/A |
| 16 | Ruby (AK) | 26°F (-3°C) | 37°F | 16°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 17 | Nabesna (AK) | 27°F (-3°C) | 36°F | 18°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 18 | Ester (AK) | 27°F (-3°C) | 38°F | 16°F | 14.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| 19 | Cantwell (AK) | 27°F (-3°C) | 38°F | 16°F | 16.8" | N/A | N/A |
| 20 | Dry Creek (AK) | 27°F (-3°C) | 37°F | 17°F | 15.7" | 57.4" | 34/100 |
| 21 | Delta Junction (AK) | 27°F (-3°C) | 39°F | 16°F | 11.8" | 42.2" | 39/100 |
| 22 | Tonsina (AK) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F | 17°F | 13.3" | 71.8" | 35/100 |
| 23 | Fox (AK) | 28°F (-2°C) | 38°F | 17°F | 15.6" | 54.8" | 34/100 |
| 24 | Kaltag (AK) | 28°F (-2°C) | 38°F | 18°F | 21.5" | N/A | 52/100 |
| 25 | Fairbanks (AK) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F | 18°F | 11.7" | 64.6" | 34/100 |
| 26 | Gulkana (AK) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F | 18°F | 11.8" | N/A | 40/100 |
Reading these rankings
Climate extremes make headlines, but livability is a balance.
- Chasing warmth? The warmest ranked cities cluster in Florida, Hawaii, and the desert Southwest, but check humidity and summer extremes too. Most comfortable
- Avoiding snow and cold? Compare the driest and warmest lists against the snowiest before deciding. Driest places
- Want the full picture for a specific place? Open its location profile for monthly tables, frost dates, and degree days. Browse by state
NOAA normals describe the typical 1991–2020 year; they are not forecasts and do not capture post-2020 warming.
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.