The Hottest City in Every State

high temperatures — Antonio Guillem / Shutterstock.com

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Filterbuy.

With summer around the corner and the U.S. increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates, Americans are gearing up for the possibility of a more normal summer season. But while residents in the Northern U.S. typically enjoy comfortably warm temperatures, Americans in other parts of the country increasingly face months of extreme heat and other severe weather events. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), some U.S. cities experience nearly 200 days per year with temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, a figure that’s rising.

Many parts of the U.S. with already high summer temperatures are seeing their temperatures climb even higher as the Earth’s temperatures warm. In every year since 1977, global average temperatures have been higher than the 20th century global temperature average. And the difference from the average 20th century temperature has been steadily climbing.

In 2020, the global temperature average was 1.6 degrees Centigrade (2.84 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average temperature from the last century, making it the warmest year on record (tied with year 2016). The impacts of global climate change are already occurring in the form of sea ice depletion, faster rise in sea levels, and more intense heat waves. Scientists predict that global temperatures will continue to increase, although not uniformly, and much of the western and central parts of the U.S. will be subject to more frequent and extreme summer heat waves.

As the Earth warms overall, such high temperature extremes are becoming increasingly common. In 2020, 49% of the U.S. had maximum temperatures much above normal — that is, nearly half of the country had high temperatures in the upper 10th percentile of the local historical record. At the same time, cold temperature extremes have become less common. For example, in 2020, no part of the U.S. recorded low temperatures in the bottom 10th percentile.

At the state level, some states have had more marked increases in their average temperatures than others. Comparing data from the past year with the historical record, Rhode Island experienced the greatest average temperature increase, 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, from the 20th century average temperature. Other states with similar increases include Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey. Only two states, Arkansas and Oklahoma, actually recorded slightly lower average temperatures than last century’s average, -0.2 degrees and -0.1 degrees lower, respectively.

To find the hottest city in every state, researchers at Filterbuy analyzed the latest data from NOAA. Within each state, the researchers ranked cities according to the greatest long-term average number of days per year when the temperature is 90 degrees or higher. Researchers also calculated the long-term average number of days per year when the temperature is 100 degrees or higher, the long-term average high temperature during the summer months, and the average long-term low temperature during summer. Only cities with populations of 10,000 or greater were considered in the analysis. (All temperatures are Fahrenheit unless otherwise stated.)

Alabama

Hottest city: Tuscaloosa
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 80
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 5
Average summer maximum temperature: 91.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 70.7 degrees

Alaska

Hottest city: Fairbanks
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 0
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 70.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 48.9 degrees

Arizona

Hottest city: Yuma
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 185
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 124
Average summer maximum temperature: 107.5 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 73.8 degrees

Arkansas

Hottest city: Helena-West Helena
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 100
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 11
Average summer maximum temperature: 94.1 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 68.2 degrees

California

Hottest city: Indio
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 182
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 117
Average summer maximum temperature: 105.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 78.3 degrees

Colorado

Hottest city: Greeley
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 68
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 12
Average summer maximum temperature: 90.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 56.2 degrees

Connecticut

Hottest city: Danbury
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 16
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 82.8 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 61.2 degrees

Delaware

Hottest city: Newark
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 30
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 86.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 63.9 degrees

Florida

Hottest city: Lakeland
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 138
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 93.8 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 72.5 degrees

Georgia

Hottest city: Albany
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 89
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 2
Average summer maximum temperature: 91.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 71.4 degrees

Hawaii

Hottest city: Honolulu
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 19
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 87.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 74.3 degrees

Idaho

Hottest city: Caldwell
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 62
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 14
Average summer maximum temperature: 90.5 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 56.7 degrees

Illinois

Hottest city: Carbondale
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 40
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 87.8 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 65.1 degrees

Indiana

Hottest city: Evansville
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 66
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 3
Average summer maximum temperature: 90.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 68.8 degrees

Iowa

Hottest city: Burlington
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 25
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 85.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 65.0 degrees

Kansas

Hottest city: Liberal
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 73
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 13
Average summer maximum temperature: 91.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 63.2 degrees

Kentucky

Hottest city: Glasgow
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 54
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 2
Average summer maximum temperature: 89.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 65.3 degrees

Louisiana

Hottest city: Monroe
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 98
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 7
Average summer maximum temperature: 93.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 70.9 degrees

Maine

Hottest city: Orono
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 8
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 78.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 56.7 degrees

Maryland

Hottest city: Baltimore
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 61
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 8
Average summer maximum temperature: 90.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 73.0 degrees

Massachusetts

Hottest city: Lowell
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 15
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 81.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 57.6 degrees

Michigan

Hottest city: Dearborn
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 14
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 82.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 60.2 degrees

Minnesota

Hottest city: Minneapolis
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 17
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 83.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 62.8 degrees

Mississippi

Hottest city: Hernando
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 92
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 12
Average summer maximum temperature: 93.4 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 69.0 degrees

Missouri

Hottest city: Kennett
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 63
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 5
Average summer maximum temperature: 90.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 68.0 degrees

Montana

Hottest city: Billings
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 41
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 3
Average summer maximum temperature: 86.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 54.2 degrees

Nebraska

Hottest city: Scottsbluff
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 40
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 3
Average summer maximum temperature: 86.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 56.0 degrees

Nevada

Hottest city: Mesquite
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 147
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 100
Average summer maximum temperature: 105.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 74.3 degrees

New Hampshire

Hottest city: Hudson
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 11
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 80.5 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 56.4 degrees

New Jersey

Hottest city: Moorestown
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 37
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 87.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 61.7 degrees

New Mexico

Hottest city: Carlsbad
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 105
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 21
Average summer maximum temperature: 94.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 66.5 degrees

New York

Hottest city: New York
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 17
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 83.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 67.4 degrees

North Carolina

Hottest city: Concord
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 55
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 2
Average summer maximum temperature: 89.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 67.3 degrees

North Dakota

Hottest city: Williston
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 22
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 2
Average summer maximum temperature: 81.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 53.2 degrees

Ohio

Hottest city: Dayton
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 31
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 85.8 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 65.1 degrees

Oklahoma

Hottest city: Lawton
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 96
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 27
Average summer maximum temperature: 95.3 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 70.0 degrees

Oregon

Hottest city: Medford
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 54
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 9
Average summer maximum temperature: 87.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 55.4 degrees

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, downtown evening rush hour. — Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

Hottest city: Philadelphia
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 32
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 86.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 68.3 degrees

Rhode Island

Hottest city: Warwick
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 9
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 80.6 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 62.0 degrees

South Carolina

Hottest city: Columbia
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 95
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 12
Average summer maximum temperature: 93.5 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 71.9 degrees

South Dakota

Hottest city: Pierre
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 37
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 6
Average summer maximum temperature: 85.4 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 59.2 degrees

Tennessee

Hottest city: Millington
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 70
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 4
Average summer maximum temperature: 91.2 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 70.4 degrees

Texas

Hottest city: Rio Grande City
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 166
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 44
Average summer maximum temperature: 98.1 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 75.3 degrees

Utah

Hottest city: St. George
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 116
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 46
Average summer maximum temperature: 98.7 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 71.6 degrees

Vermont

Hottest city: Essex
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 6
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 78.9 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 57.2 degrees

Virginia

Hottest city: Suffolk
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 46
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 88.4 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 66.2 degrees

Washington

Hottest city: Pasco
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 45
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 5
Average summer maximum temperature: 88.1 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 54.5 degrees

West Virginia

Hottest city: Huntington
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 28
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 86.0 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 64.4 degrees

Wisconsin

Hottest city: West Allis
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 16
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 0
Average summer maximum temperature: 82.4 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 61.1 degrees

Wyoming

Hottest city: Riverton
Number of days per year with temperature above 90 degrees: 30
Number of days per year with temperature above 100 degrees: 1
Average summer maximum temperature: 84.8 degrees
Average summer minimum temperature: 51.2 degrees

Detailed Findings & Methodology

Man in front of fan on computer — Monika Wisniewska / Shutterstock.com

Of the hottest cities in each state, Yuma, Arizona. boasts the highest number of days per year with temperatures above 90 degrees, at 185 days or over half the year. Yuma also has an astounding 124 days per year with temperatures over 100 degrees. On average, the hottest cities have 59 days per year with temperatures over 90 degrees and 13 days per year with temperatures over 100 degrees.

Summer high and low temperatures also vary substantially among the hottest cities. On average across all 50 cities, the average summer high temperature is 89 degrees and the average summer low temperature is 65 degrees. However, some cities have far hotter days. Yuma’s average high in summer is 108 degrees, while the average high summer temperature in Fairbanks, Alaska, is just 71 degrees. Besides more moderate temperatures during the day, Northern states also tend to have cooler nights and mornings during the summer. This is reflected in the average summer low temperatures. The average low temperature in the summer in Fairbanks is a brisk 49 degrees, while summer temperatures typically don’t fall much below 80 degrees in Indio, California.

To find the hottest city in every state, researchers at Filterbuy analyzed the latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information’s (NCEI) Climate Normals dataset. The Climate Normals are three-decade averages of climatological variables, including temperature and precipitation. Within each state, the researchers ranked cities according to the greatest long-term average number of days per year when the temperature is 90 degrees or higher. Researchers also calculated the long-term average number of days per year when the temperature is 100 degrees or higher, the long-term average high temperature in summer, and the average long-term low temperature in summer. Only cities with populations of 10,000 or greater were considered in the analysis.

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