Always in the Sun — These 40 American Cities Stay the Hottest Year-Round

Relaxing poolside and basking in the sun sounds like a perfect summer day. But what if those steamy hot days of summer lasted a lot longer? Can you imagine living in a city where the temperature swelters to 90 or above nearly six months out of the year? That’s exactly what it’s like in America’s hottest city. Furthermore, climate change is bringing more extreme weather, droughts, and heat waves. Find out which countries are ready for the coming climate change (note, the US doesn’t make the list.)

To find the hottest cities in America, 24/7 Wall St. looked at Comparative Climatic Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The rankings are based on four measures: observed data — the average number of days per year with a maximum temperature of 90° F or higher; climatological normals — normal daily maximum temperature; normal daily minimum temperature; and normal daily mean (average) temperature. The details below are accurate at the time of publication, however, these cities may shift in future years based on new climate norms due to climate change. We only considered 244 cities with data from 50 states to identify the 40 cities that are, on average, hottest year-round.

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40. Meridian, Mississippi

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 65.9 F (#40 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 77.8 F (#37 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 54.1 F (#44 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 86 days (#30 most of 244 cities)

39. Redding, California

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 63.4 F (#57 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 76.6 F (#46 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 50.2 F (#70 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 106 days (#17 most of 244 cities)

38. Montgomery, Alabama

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 66.4 F (#37 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.4 F (#33 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 54.4 F (#41 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 86 days (#30 most of 244 cities)

37. Mobile, Alabama

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 67.6 F (#30 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 77.8 F (#37 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 57.4 F (#31 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 77 days (#42 most of 244 cities)

36. Wichita Falls, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 63.7 F (#54 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 76.2 F (#50 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 51.2 F (#62 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 108 days (#15 most of 244 cities)

35. Pensacola, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 69.4 F (#25 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.6 F (#28 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 60.3 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 64 days (#58 most of 244 cities)

34. Shreveport, Louisiana

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 66.6 F (#35 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 77.5 F (#42 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 55.6 F (#38 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 94 days (#24 most of 244 cities)

33. Fresno, California

Fresno (Shutterstock.com) by Jacob Boomsma

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 65 F (#47 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 76.3 F (#49 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 53.7 F (#48 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 109 days (#13 most of 244 cities)

32. Abilene, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 65.9 F (#40 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.2 F (#34 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 53.7 F (#48 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 103 days (#20 most of 244 cities)

31. Daytona Beach, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 71.5 F (#14 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80.6 F (#16 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 62.5 F (#14 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 60 days (#61 most of 244 cities)

30. Midland-Odessa, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 65.8 F (#42 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.5 F (#31 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 53 F (#53 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 107 days (#16 most of 244 cities)

29. Jacksonville, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 69.3 F (#26 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 79.6 F (#24 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 58.9 F (#25 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 82 days (#36 most of 244 cities)

28. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 68.5 F (#27 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.9 F (#27 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 58 F (#29 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 90 days (#27 most of 244 cities)

27. Lake Charles, Louisiana

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 69.7 F (#23 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 79.3 F (#26 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 60.1 F (#21 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 81 days (#37 most of 244 cities)

26. El Paso, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 66.2 F (#38 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.6 F (#28 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 53.8 F (#46 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 109 days (#13 most of 244 cities)

25. Tallahassee, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 68.5 F (#27 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 79.7 F (#23 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 57.2 F (#33 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 92 days (#25 most of 244 cities)

24. Bakersfield, California

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 66.2 F (#38 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.2 F (#34 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 54.3 F (#43 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 110 days (#12 most of 244 cities)

23. New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana (BY-SA 2.0) by szeke

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70.5 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.5 F (#31 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 62.5 F (#14 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 77 days (#42 most of 244 cities)

22. Kahului, Hawaii

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 77.1 F (#4 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 86.1 F (#2 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 68.1 F (#6 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 29 days (#123 most of 244 cities)

21. Honolulu, Hawaii

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 78 F (#2 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 84.6 F (#5 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 71.5 F (#2 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 25 days (#131 most of 244 cities)

20. Port Arthur, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 69.9 F (#22 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 79.6 F (#24 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 60.3 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 88 days (#29 most of 244 cities)

19. Dallas, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 68 F (#29 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 77.9 F (#36 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 58.1 F (#28 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 104 days (#19 most of 244 cities)

18. Waco, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 67.1 F (#33 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 78.6 F (#28 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 55.6 F (#38 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 112 days (#11 most of 244 cities)

17. San Angelo, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 66.7 F (#34 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80 F (#22 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 53.5 F (#51 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 115 days (#8 most of 244 cities)

16. Houston, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70.5 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80.5 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 60.5 F (#17 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 106 days (#17 most of 244 cities)

15. San Antonio, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 69.6 F (#24 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80.3 F (#21 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 58.9 F (#25 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 117 days (#6 most of 244 cities)

14. Austin, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70 F (#21 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80.5 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 59.4 F (#24 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 116 days (#7 most of 244 cities)

13. Victoria, Texas

Victoria, Texas (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70.7 F (#16 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 81.3 F (#15 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 60.2 F (#20 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 113 days (#10 most of 244 cities)

12. Key West, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 78.9 F (#1 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 83.7 F (#8 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 74 F (#1 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 50 days (#73 most of 244 cities)

11. West Palm Beach, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 75.8 F (#7 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 83 F (#11 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 68.6 F (#5 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 76 days (#44 most of 244 cities)

10. Orlando, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 73 F (#12 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 83.2 F (#9 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 62.7 F (#13 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 101 days (#22 most of 244 cities)

9. Tampa, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 74.5 F (#10 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 83 F (#11 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 66.1 F (#9 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 89 days (#28 most of 244 cities)

8. Miami, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 77.5 F (#3 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 84.2 F (#6 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 70.7 F (#4 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 72 days (#50 most of 244 cities)

7. Las Vegas, Nevada

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70.1 F (#20 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 80.5 F (#18 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 59.6 F (#23 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 136 days (#3 most of 244 cities)

6. Corpus Christi, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 73 F (#12 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 82.3 F (#13 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 63.6 F (#12 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 114 days (#9 most of 244 cities)

5. Fort Myers, Florida

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 75.4 F (#9 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 84.9 F (#4 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 65.8 F (#10 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 102 days (#21 most of 244 cities)

4. Del Rio, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 71.5 F (#14 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 83.2 F (#9 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 59.8 F (#22 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 136 days (#3 most of 244 cities)

3. Tucson, Arizona

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 70.6 F (#17 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 84 F (#7 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 57.3 F (#32 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 148 days (#2 most of 244 cities)

2. Brownsville, Texas

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 76.2 F (#6 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 85.4 F (#3 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 67.1 F (#8 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 127 days (#5 most of 244 cities)

1. Phoenix, Arizona

• Avg. annual mean temperature: 75.6 F (#8 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. max temperature: 87.1 F (#1 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. min temperature: 64.1 F (#11 hottest of 244 cities)
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 170 days (#1 most of 244 cities)