The 10 Coldest Cities in the U.S.

Cold weather can be a cozy change of pace from increasingly hot summers, and is often welcomed when it returns every year. People especially look forward to peaceful, snowy winters in northern states, where winter wonderlands are the norm.

Unfortunately, cold weather is becoming rarer. The ten warmest years on record have all occurred during the last decade, and winter is the fastest-warming season, becoming more pronounced the further north you go. If you’re a house hunter looking to buy or a seller looking to relocate, these are important factors to consider.

So, on the heels of a cold winter, where can you still find cold temperatures? And what are the coldest cities in the country? Redfin has compiled a list of the coldest cities in the U.S. to help. Read on to discover if one of them is right for you.

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How we measure the coldest cities

For our purposes of determining the “coldest” cities, this list will focus on cities that have the lowest average annual temperature. This way, we can determine the coolest cities year-round. We will also include a city’s average winter temperature, but won’t use it for ranking purposes.

Keep reading to see Redfin’s rankings of the coldest cities in the U.S. with a population of 20,000 or more.

1. Fairbanks, Alaska

Average annual temperature: 28.3°F
Average winter temperature: -4.1°F
Record lowest temperature: –66°F (1934)

Fairbanks is truly a frigid city, owed largely to its dark, bitterly cold winters. And they’re proud of it. They don’t close schools for cold weather, recess is only canceled when temperatures reach -20°F, and University of Alaska, Fairbanks students have a tradition of posing for photos in swimsuits when temperatures reach -40°F….