Every winter seems a little different from the one before, and nothing is as notoriously unpredictable as the weather. The expectation of a harsh winter is part of life in many parts of the country. And in certain sections of the Northern United States, average temperatures during winter would make anyone cringe.
Using daily temperatures tracked over a 30-year period, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines the normal high and low temperatures for every month for over 250 cities. (Here are the 50 hottest cities in America).
To identify America’s 50 coldest cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the minimum average temperature for the coldest month from 1981 to 2010 for every place tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau with at least 10,000 residents. This is the latest data available. We added population, the lowest temperature on record, and annual average snowfall for each city listed. For more on snowfall, see: the snowiest counties in every state.
Most of the cities on this list are located in the Midwest, with the top 10 coldest cities mostly in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Overall, the list includes cities from 19 states. Six of the 50 coldest cities are in Nebraska and another six are in Wisconsin — tied for the most of any state.
Click here to see the 50 coldest cities in America
Click here to see our full methodology
50. Flagstaff, Arizona
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 16.8 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -30 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 87.5 in.
> Population: 71,202
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49. Missoula, Montana
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 16.7 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -33 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 45.9 in.
> Population: 72,125
48. Chicago, Illinois
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 16.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -27 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 38.7 in.
> Population: 2,718,555
47. Pocatello, Idaho
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 16.0 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -33 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 40.4 in.
> Population: 55,162
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46. Kalispell, Montana
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 15.8 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -38 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 60.6 in.
> Population: 22,621
45. Syracuse, New York
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 15.7 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -26 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 114.7 in.
> Population: 143,293
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44. Binghamton, New York
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 15.7 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -20 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 84.5 in.
> Population: 45,503
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43. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 15.6 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -26 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 47.9 in.
> Population: 596,886
42. Flint, Michigan
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 15.3 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -25 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 48.9 in.
> Population: 97,161
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41. Great Falls, Montana
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -43 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 60.5 in.
> Population: 58,990
40. Albany, New York
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -28 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 61.7 in.
> Population: 97,889
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39. Lincoln, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -33 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 26.5 in.
> Population: 280,849
38. Grand Island, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.4 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -28 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 29.3 in.
> Population: 51,187
37. Moline, Illinois
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.3 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -28 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 33.6 in.
> Population: 42,364
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36. Pueblo, Colorado
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 14.0 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -28 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 30.5 in.
> Population: 109,985
35. Elko, Nevada
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 13.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -43 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 39.0 in.
> Population: 20,247
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34. Casper, Wyoming
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 13.5 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -41 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 76.6 in.
> Population: 58,756
33. Rockford, Illinois
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 13.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -27 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 35.6 in.
> Population: 147,881
32. Portland, Maine
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 13.4 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -39 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 70.3 in.
> Population: 66,735
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31. Rapid City, South Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 12.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -31 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 42.3 in.
> Population: 73,721
30. Omaha, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 12.7 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -23 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 28.6 in.
> Population: 465,112
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29. Scottsbluff, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 12.5 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -46 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 38.4 in.
> Population: 14,805
24/7 Wall St.
28. Norfolk, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 12.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -30 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 30.3 in.
> Population: 24,446
27. Helena, Montana
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.9 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -42 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 43.7 in.
> Population: 31,212
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26. Alpena, Michigan
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.4 F (February)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 76.0 in.
> Population: 10,086
25. Des Moines, Iowa
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.4 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -26 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 34.3 in.
> Population: 215,932
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24. Dubuque, Iowa
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.2 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -30 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 42.3 in.
> Population: 58,340
23. Madison, Wisconsin
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 44.3 in.
> Population: 252,086
22. North Platte, Nebraska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -34 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 30.0 in.
> Population: 24,011
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21. Anchorage, Alaska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 11.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -34 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 73.2 in.
> Population: 296,112
20. Sheridan, Wyoming
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 10.6 F (December)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 73.1 in.
> Population: 17,825
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19. Concord, New Hampshire
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 10.4 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 65.3 in.
> Population: 43,040
18. Burlington, Vermont
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 10.2 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -30 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 80.4 in.
> Population: 42,513
17. Sioux City, Iowa
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 10.2 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -28 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 33.7 in.
> Population: 82,486
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16. Waterloo, Iowa
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 9.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -34 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 33.2 in.
> Population: 68,134
15. Green Bay, Wisconsin
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 9.0 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -36 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 49.5 in.
> Population: 104,818
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14. La Crosse, Wisconsin
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 8.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 42.5 in.
> Population: 51,866
13. Rochester, Minnesota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 7.7 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -40 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 45.1 in.
> Population: 113,913
12. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 7.6 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -37 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 118.7 in.
> Population: 13,712
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11. Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 7.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -34 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 49.3 in.
> Population: 416,021
10. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 6.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -36 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 41.0 in.
> Population: 174,151
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9. Huron, South Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 6.6 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -43 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 36.6 in.
> Population: 13,291
8. Bismarck, North Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 2.2 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -44 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 45.4 in.
> Population: 71,731
7. St. Cloud, Minnesota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 1.8 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -43 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 44.5 in.
> Population: 67,513
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6. Aberdeen, South Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 1.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -46 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 38.6 in.
> Population: 28,124
5. Duluth, Minnesota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 1.5 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -39 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 83.0 in.
> Population: 86,004
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4. Williston, North Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 0.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -50 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 35.6 in.
> Population: 26,102
3. Fargo, North Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: 0.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -39 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 42.2 in.
> Population: 120,209
2. Grand Forks, North Dakota
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: -3.1 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -43 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 41.2 in.
> Population: 56,556
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1. Fairbanks, Alaska
> Avg. daily low in coldest month: -16.9 F (January)
> Lowest temp. on record: -66 F
> Annual avg. snowfall: 64.4 in.
> Population: 31,677
Methodology
To identify the 50 coldest cities in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the annual normal daily minimum temperature (based on a 30-year average from 1981-2010) during the coldest month recorded by weather stations across the United States and compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). These were then assigned to distinct cities.
Annual normal daily min, max, and average temperatures, as well as the coldest month and annual precipitation recorded by weather stations came from NOAA’s 1981-2010 Climate Normals.
Highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded, the number of days below 32 degrees, and average rain / snowfall was obtained from NOAA’s Comparative Climate Report and are for 2018.
To be considered, cities needed to have populations greater than 10,000. Population figures came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey and are 5-Year averages.
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