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.
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
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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
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
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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
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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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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
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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
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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
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
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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
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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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
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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
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
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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
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
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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
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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
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
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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
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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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
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
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
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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
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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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
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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
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
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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
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
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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
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
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
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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
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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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
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
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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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
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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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
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
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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
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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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