Special Report

Hottest City in Every State

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This past June was the warmest ever recorded based on global-average temperatures, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The United States has not escaped the heat, with many parts of the country experiencing exceptionally high temperatures this summer. Heat waves have gripped various sections of the country and extreme heat has been blamed for at least six deaths.

Of course, temperatures vary widely across the country. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -80° Fahrenheit in Prospect Creek in central Alaska in 1971. At the other end of the spectrum, temperatures reached a staggering 134° Fahrenheit in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California on July 10, 1913 — one of the hottest places on Earth.

Temperatures also vary within each state, with geographic and other factors affecting the weather. Cities filled with heat-trapping materials such as asphalt, metal, and concrete are often the warmest. Elevation may also come into play. Furnace Creek, for instance, sits at 190 feet below sea level.

Based on the most recent historical temperature data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 24/7 Wall St. identified each state’s hottest city.

While California’s Death Valley is the nation’s hottest region, areas in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Utah are not far behind. In these cities, the average maximum temperature surpasses 100° Fahrenheit during the hottest month. Among the hottest cities in the nation’s coldest states are Fairbanks, Alaska, and Sanford, Maine.

Click here to see the hottest city in every state.

To identify the hottest city in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the annual maximum average temperature recorded in 9,800 weather stations in the United States between 1981-2010. The weather station (and the subsequent town closest to it) with the highest consistent maximum temperature during the hottest month for this 30-year period was considered the hottest city in the state.

All data on temperature averages, weather station coordinates, and elevation were derived from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association’s 1981-2010 Climate Normals program.

olin_gilbert / Flickr

1. Alabama
> Hottest city: Eufaula
> 30-year average max temperature: 93.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.3° F in July, 2000
> Elevation: 70.1 meters

See all stories featuring: Alabama

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DMartinez-Photo / Getty Images

2. Alaska
> Hottest city: Fairbanks
> 30-year average max temperature: 75.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 82.6° F in June, 2004
> Elevation: 184.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Alaska

equigini / Getty Images

3. Arizona
> Hottest city: Willow Beach
> 30-year average max temperature: 111.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 115.1° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 225.6 meters

See all stories featuring: Arizona

library_of_congress / Flickr

4. Arkansas
> Hottest city: Helena
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 101.7° F in August, 2000
> Elevation: 59.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Arkansas

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Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons

5. California
> Hottest city: Death Valley
> 30-year average max temperature: 116.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 121.4° F in July, 2009
> Elevation: -59.1 meters

See all stories featuring: California

Cawright2007 / Wikimedia Commons

6. Colorado
> Hottest city: Naturita
> 30-year average max temperature: 96.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 103.7° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1530.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Colorado

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dougtone / Flickr

7. Connecticut
> Hottest city: Bethel
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.0° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 123.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Connecticut

Eli Pousson from Baltimore, MD, USA / Wikimedia Commons

8. Delaware
> Hottest city: Georgetown
> 30-year average max temperature: 87.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.1° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 13.7 meters

See all stories featuring: Delaware

52450054@N04 / Flickr

9. Florida
> Hottest city: Homestead
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.8° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 99.8° F in September, 1996
> Elevation: 2.1 meters

See all stories featuring: Florida

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Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) / Wikimedia Commons

10. Georgia
> Hottest city: Folkston
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.4° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.6° F in June, 1998
> Elevation: 36.6 meters

See all stories featuring: Georgia

Robert Baranic / Getty Images

11. Hawaii
> Hottest city: Kapolei
> 30-year average max temperature: 89.7° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 93.0° F in July, 1991
> Elevation: 15.2 meters

See all stories featuring: Hawaii

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ChrisBoswell / Getty Images

12. Idaho
> Hottest city: Glenns Ferry
> 30-year average max temperature: 97.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 103.8° F in July, 2007
> Elevation: 751.6 meters

See all stories featuring: Idaho
Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons

13. Illinois
> Hottest city: Mascoutah
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 137.2 meters

See all stories featuring: Illinois

gsfc / Flickr

14. Indiana
> Hottest city: Henderson
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.8° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 115.8 meters

See all stories featuring: Indiana

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davidwilson1949 / Flickr

15. Iowa
> Hottest city: Keosauqua
> 30-year average max temperature: 87.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 95.5° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 177.1 meters

See all stories featuring: Iowa

Ammodramus / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16. Kansas
> Hottest city: Johnson City
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 102.6° F in July, 2001
> Elevation: 966.2 meters

See all stories featuring: Kansas

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Nheyob / Wikimedia Commons

17. Kentucky
> Hottest city: Glasgow
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 99.1° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 189.0 meters

See all stories featuring: Kentucky

Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons

18. Louisiana
> Hottest city: Plain Dealing
> 30-year average max temperature: 95.0° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 103.3° F in July, 1998
> Elevation: 88.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Louisiana

nhoulihan / Flickr

19. Maine
> Hottest city: Sanford
> 30-year average max temperature: 81.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 84.9° F in July, 1994
> Elevation: 85.3 meters

See all stories featuring: Maine

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Abhijit Tembhekar / Wikimedia Commons

20. Maryland
> Hottest city: Baltimore
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.3° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 4.3 meters

See all stories featuring: Maryland

John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons

21. Massachusetts
> Hottest city: Abington
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 89.3° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 47.9 meters

See all stories featuring: Massachusetts

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Rmhermen / Wikimedia Commons

22. Michigan
> Hottest city: Dearborn
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 90.2° F in July, 2002
> Elevation: 184.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Michigan

pavdw / Flickr

23. Minnesota
> Hottest city: Minneapolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 86.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 92.3° F in July, 2001
> Elevation: 229.8 meters

See all stories featuring: Minnesota

Thomas R Machnitzki / Wikimedia Commons

24. Mississippi
> Hottest city: Hernando
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.5° F in August
> Hottest month on record: 102.3° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 115.8 meters

See all stories featuring: Mississippi

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usacehq / Flickr

25. Missouri
> Hottest city: Wappapello
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 125.0 meters

See all stories featuring: Missouri

Robstutz / Wikimedia Commons

26. Montana
> Hottest city: Ismay
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.1° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.2° F in June, 1988
> Elevation: 755.9 meters

See all stories featuring: Montana

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Ammodramus / Wikimedia Commons

27. Nebraska
> Hottest city: Benkelman
> 30-year average max temperature: 92.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.7° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 922.0 meters

See all stories featuring: Nebraska

LPETTET / Getty Images

28. Nevada
> Hottest city: Laughlin
> 30-year average max temperature: 110.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 114.4° F in August, 1995
> Elevation: 184.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Nevada

John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons

29. New Hampshire
> Hottest city: Hudson
> 30-year average max temperature: 82.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 88.0° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 56.4 meters

See all stories featuring: New Hampshire

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Apc106 / Wikimedia Commons

30. New Jersey
> Hottest city: Moorestown
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 93.9° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 13.7 meters

See all stories featuring: New Jersey

Leaflet / Wikimedia Commons

31. New Mexico
> Hottest city: Maljamar
> 30-year average max temperature: 96.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 104.1° F in June, 1990
> Elevation: 1266.1 meters

See all stories featuring: New Mexico

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kenlund / Flickr

32. New York
> Hottest city: The Bronx
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 90.6° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 3.4 meters

See all stories featuring: New York

Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US / Wikimedia Commons

33. North Carolina
> Hottest city: Hamlet
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.3° F in July, 1986
> Elevation: 106.7 meters

See all stories featuring: North Carolina

afiler / Flickr

34. North Dakota
> Hottest city: Fort Yates
> 30-year average max temperature: 86.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 94.5° F in July, 2006
> Elevation: 510.5 meters

See all stories featuring: North Dakota

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Kurttarvis / Wikimedia Commons

35. Ohio
> Hottest city: Gallipolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 89.7° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.9° F in August, 2007
> Elevation: 173.4 meters

See all stories featuring: Ohio

duggar11 / Wikimedia Commons

36. Oklahoma
> Hottest city: Lawton
> 30-year average max temperature: 97.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 104.7° F in August, 2000
> Elevation: 325.8 meters

See all stories featuring: Oklahoma

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TedQuackenbush / Wikimedia Commons

37. Oregon
> Hottest city: Ontario
> 30-year average max temperature: 93.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.9° F in July, 2006
> Elevation: 667.5 meters

See all stories featuring: Oregon

75012107@N05 / Flickr

38. Pennsylvania
> Hottest city: Green Lane
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 93.5° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 93.0 meters

See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania

kickstand / Getty Images

39. Rhode Island
> Hottest city: Warwick
> 30-year average max temperature: 82.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 87.1° F in July, 1981
> Elevation: 18.3 meters

See all stories featuring: Rhode Island

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

40. South Carolina
> Hottest city: Columbia
> 30-year average max temperature: 94.2° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 100.2° F in July, 1993
> Elevation: 73.8 meters

See all stories featuring: South Carolina

diversey / Flickr

41. South Dakota
> Hottest city: Edgemont
> 30-year average max temperature: 90.8° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.0° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1100.3 meters

See all stories featuring: South Dakota

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Thomas R Machnitzki / Wikimedia Commons

42. Tennessee
> Hottest city: Millington
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 98.0° F in July, 1986
> Elevation: 86.0 meters

See all stories featuring: Tennessee

Robert Rutherford / Getty Images

43. Texas
> Hottest city: Big Bend National Park
> 30-year average max temperature: 103.8° F in June
> Hottest month on record: 109.2° F in June, 1998
> Elevation: 661.1 meters

See all stories featuring: Texas

SweetyMommy / Getty Images

44. Utah
> Hottest city: Saint George
> 30-year average max temperature: 101.6° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 108.4° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 849.5 meters

See all stories featuring: Utah

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gary_leavens / Flickr

45. Vermont
> Hottest city: Vernon
> 30-year average max temperature: 84.4° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 87.8° F in July, 1999
> Elevation: 68.9 meters

See all stories featuring: Vermont

Wyatt Greene / Wikimedia Commons

46. Virginia
> Hottest city: New Canton
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.1° F in July, 2010
> Elevation: 68.6 meters

See all stories featuring: Virginia

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Cecil_Kindle / Getty Images

47. Washington
> Hottest city: Pasco
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.3° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 96.0° F in July, 1998
> Elevation: 124.1 meters

See all stories featuring: Washington

6381380 / Getty Images

48. West Virginia
> Hottest city: Williamson
> 30-year average max temperature: 88.5° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 94.3° F in August, 1983
> Elevation: 231.6 meters

See all stories featuring: West Virginia

csfotoimages / Getty Images

49. Wisconsin
> Hottest city: Lake Geneva
> 30-year average max temperature: 85.0° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 91.7° F in July, 1988
> Elevation: 257.9 meters

See all stories featuring: Wisconsin

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alptraum / Getty Images

50. Wyoming
> Hottest city: Thermopolis
> 30-year average max temperature: 91.9° F in July
> Hottest month on record: 97.2° F in July, 2003
> Elevation: 1314.6 meters

See all stories featuring: Wyoming

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