Special Report

America's 50 Coldest Cities

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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

coconinonationalforest / Flickr

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

jolevine / Flickr

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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Karimala / Getty Images

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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Jim Danvers / Wikimedia Commons

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

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

cbell7153 / Getty Images

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

rruntsch / Getty Images

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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Dzurag / Getty Images

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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AnastasiiaL / Getty Images

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

Giakas / Getty Images

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

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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Bobak Ha'Eri / Wikimedia Commons

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

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

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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by Dylan L. Tanner / Wikimedia Commons

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

benkrut / Getty Images

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

Photo by Spencer Platt / Getty Images

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

IreneWyo / Wikimedia Commons

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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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

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

Doug Kerr / Wikimedia Commons

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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David Wilson / Flickr

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

stockcam / Getty Images

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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joel / Flickr

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

sakakawea7 / Getty Images

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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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

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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usgeologicalsurvey / Flickr

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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33709026@N00 / Flickr

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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