The Cities With the Best Weather

By Mike Sauter Updated Jan 11, 12:39PM EST · Published Jan 11, 7:23PM EST

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The Cities With the Best Weather — © Ron_Thomas / Getty Images

For many Americans, particularly those looking for a place to retire, weather is a major role in the final decision. The ideal weather is, like many things, subjective — some people prefer the arctic winds, while other prefer heat and humidity. However, the vast majority of Americans would likely choose, given the option, weather that is not too hot or cold, not too wet or dry, and clear skies whenever possible.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association’s climate normals database, which calculates annual averages over the 30 year period from 1981 to 2010. To determine the cities with the best weather, we created an index of minimum, maximum, and average temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, wind, humidity, and more.

While many people would choose a warm climate over a freezing cold one, for many there are some climates that are just too hot. Cities like Phoenix, Arizona, where temperatures exceed 90°F about 170 days each year, are likely too hot for many people to live year-round.

We rewarded places with fewer rainy days per year, as most people prefer a precipitation-free, sunny day over rain or snow. We also penalized places that get too little precipitation, however, as an arid climate can hurt vegitation and lead to wildfires and water restrictions.

Click here to see the cities with the best weather.

25. Savannah, GA
> Average annual temp: 66.7Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 110
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 27
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 152

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24. Austin, TX
> Average annual temp: 69.3Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 84
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 18
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 136

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23. Fort Myers, FL
> Average annual temp: 75.1Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 112
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 1
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 99

22. Jacksonville, FL
> Average annual temp: 68.5Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 115
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 15
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 144

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21. Del Rio, TX
> Average annual temp: 70.4Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 58
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 15
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 138

20. Long Beach, CA
> Average annual temp: 64.7Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 34
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 1
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 87

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19. San Diego, CA
> Average annual temp: 63.6Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 41
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 102

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18. West Palm Beach, FL
> Average annual temp: 75.4Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 133
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 131

17. Tampa, FL
> Average annual temp: 73.4Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 106
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 2
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 121

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16. Miami, FL
> Average annual temp: 77.2Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 133
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 115

15. Corpus Christi, TX
> Average annual temp: 72.1Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 76
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 6
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 142

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14. Victoria, TX
> Average annual temp: 70.2Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 90
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 10
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 162

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13. Walla Walla, WA
> Average annual temp: 53.5Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 107
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 70
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

12. Brownsville, TX
> Average annual temp: 74.5Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 71
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 3
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 138

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11. Daytona Beach, FL
> Average annual temp: 70.8Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 115
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 5
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 136

10. Kahului, HI
> Average annual temp: 75.8Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 88
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 90

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9. Dallas, TX
> Average annual temp: 67.1Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 79
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 31
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

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8. Gainesville, FL
> Average annual temp: 68.9Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 115
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 17
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

7. Lihue, HI
> Average annual temp: 75.8Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 197
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 125

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6. Galveston, TX
> Average annual temp: 71.2Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 96
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 3
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

5. Honolulu, HI
> Average annual temp: 77.7Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 93
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: 94

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4. Vero Beach, FL
> Average annual temp: 73.0Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 121
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 1
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

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3. San Francisco, CA
> Average annual temp: 57.3Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 67
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 0
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

2. Santa Barbara, CA
> Average annual temp: 59.0Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 36
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 6
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

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1. Charleston, SC
> Average annual temp: 66.7Â°F
> Avg. days/year of rain: 107
> Avg. days/year below freezing: 10
> Avg. # of sunny days/year: N/A

About the Author Mike Sauter →

Michael Sauter is Lead Editor at 24/7 Wall St. He has worked here in various capacities since 2010, starting out as a healthcare industry beat writer. He helped develop the site’s data-driven content, which contributed to 24/7 Wall St. becoming a recognized brand in the field of data journalism, covering a wide range of social and economic issues. Today, he rarely writes but enjoys working with authors and data to find the best way to present information clearly and effectively. In his occasional spare time, Michael loves cycling, listening to audiobooks, and (passably) playing the piano.