What’s the best weather? Well, that’s debatable, obviously. Some prefer somewhat cooler temperatures, while others love the heat. There are those who prefer drier climates, while others thrive with greater humidity. And let’s not forget rain, wind, cloud cover conditions, and so on and so on.

Complicating matters further is that some conditions work well together, mitigating extremes. For example, higher temperatures can often be better tolerated if the air is drier. But that could contribute to arid conditions, which usually is not ideal. Trying to find a balance to calculate the absolute perfect weather is therefore nearly impossible. But we tried anyway.

To determine the city with the best weather, 24/7 Wall St. used Comparative Climatic Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create an index based on average temperatures, precipitation, cloud cover, wind, humidity, and more. We aimed to use the most preferred conditions as ideals. For example, 72 degrees Fahrenheit was our ideal temperature and we penalized cities that deviated too far from this temperature one way or another. Similarly, 40 inches of rain and 40% humidity were determined as ideals, and cities were penalized if they deviated too much from those points. The result is a list of 50 cities that when we averaged their weather conditions ranked the highest on our index, though some may question their presence here and not others.

It is worth noting that the data we used is averaging decades and decades of data points — including observations from early in the previous century. But in today’s global warming environment, the weather in many cities is changing, with some cities becoming hotter and with less precipitation, while others are suffering from more frequent natural disasters. (Also see: US Cities That Don’t See The Sun During Winter.)

Naturally, warmer climates dominate the list, and cities in only 11 states made the list. Of those, 10 cities are in California (including seven in the top 10), 10 are in Florida, nine in Texas, and six in Georgia. South and North Carolina are home to seven cities on the list, and Hawaii is home to three. No cities in the Midwest or the Northeast made the list.

At the absolute top of the list, Long Beach, California, received the highest index score and was determined to have the absolute best weather nationwide. Los Angeles and San Diego came in second and third, while Charleston, South Carolina, ranked No. 4. Honolulu and Maui’s Kahului rank in fifth and sixth place. Rounding out the top 10 are four more cities in California.

Why Are We Covering This

Weather can be a major factor in determining where people move to as it can have considerable influence as to how much we enjoy living in a certain place. Since many people prefer warm temperatures and relatively clear skies with some, but not too much, rain (enough for a more verdant environment but not too much that it impedes activities), we aimed to rank cities based on these features.

Full methodology:

To determine the cities with the best weather, 24/7 Wall St. created an index based on 11 observed data points and climatological normals. All data came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2023 Comparative Climate Data and The 30-Year Climate Normals for 1990-2020, in conjunction with National Environmental Satellite and the National Centers for Environmental Information. All values were indexed using min-max normalization and weighted equally to create a composite score out of 100 for each of the 247 cities with data.

The exact measures included in the index are:

Observed data:

• The average number of days per year with a maximum temperature of 90° F or higher
• The average number of days per year with a minimum temperature of 32° F or lower
• The average number of days per year with 0.01 inches of precipitation or more
• The average wind speed
• The mean number of cloudy days per year
• The absolute difference in average year-round relative humidity in the afternoon from an ideal 40% humidity level

Climatological normals:

• The absolute difference in normal daily maximum temperature from an ideal temperature of 72° F
• The absolute difference in normal daily minimum temperature from 72° F
• The absolute difference in normal daily mean temperature from 72° F
• Normal heating degree days (the number of degrees that the daily average temperature falls below 65° F)
• The absolute difference in average annual precipitation from an ideal annual rainfall total of 40 inches

50. Norfolk, Virginia (77.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 61.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 117 days for an avg of 49.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 34 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 48 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 212 days

49. Tucson, Arizona (77.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 70.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 51 days for an avg of 10.6 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 148 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 15 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 284 days

48. Del Rio, Texas (77.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 71.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 58 days for an avg of 19.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 136 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 14 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 227 days

47. New Orleans, Louisiana (78.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 70.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 114 days for an avg of 63.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 77 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 10 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 219 days

46. Corpus Christi, Texas (78.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 73 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 76 days for an avg of 31.7 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 114 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 6 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 223 days

45. Wilmington, North Carolina (78.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 64.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 119 days for an avg of 60.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 46 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 40 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 215 days

44. Phoenix, Arizona (78.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 75.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 35 days for an avg of 7.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 170 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 8 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 295 days

43. San Angelo, Texas (78.3/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 66.7 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 58 days for an avg of 20.9 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 115 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 50 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 251 days

42. Abilene, Texas (78.3/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65.9 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 66 days for an avg of 25.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 103 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 50 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 244 days

41. Tallahassee, Florida (78.4/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 68.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 115 days for an avg of 58.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 92 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 28 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 231 days

40. West Palm beach, Florida (78.4/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 75.8 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 134 days for an avg of 61.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 76 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 234 days

39. Pensacola, Florida (78.4/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 69.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 113 days for an avg of 68.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 64 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 13 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 228 days

38. Macon, Georgia (78.4/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 109 days for an avg of 46.9 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 86 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 42 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 218 days

37. Las Vegas, Nevada (78.5/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 70.1 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 26 days for an avg of 4.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 136 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 25 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 292 days

36. Raleigh, North Carolina (78.6/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 61.2 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 114 days for an avg of 46.1 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 45 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 71 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 216 days

35. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (78.6/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 64.8 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 123 days for an avg of 61.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 6 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 24 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 209 days

34. San Antonio, Texas (78.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 69.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 81 days for an avg of 32.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 117 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 19 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 224 days

33. Athens, Georgia (78.8/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 63 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 112 days for an avg of 49.0 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 56 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 50 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 218 days

32. Greenville-spartanburg, South Carolina (78.8/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 61.3 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 117 days for an avg of 49.7 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 42 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 60 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 220 days

31. Miami, Florida (78.8/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 77.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 135 days for an avg of 67.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 72 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 250 days

30. Columbia, South Carolina (78.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 64.3 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 109 days for an avg of 45.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 79 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 53 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 218 days

29. El Paso, Texas (79.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 66.2 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 48 days for an avg of 8.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 109 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 53 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 293 days

28. Augusta, Georgia (79.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 108 days for an avg of 44.1 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 80 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 51 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 218 days

27. Columbus, Georgia (79.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 66.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 109 days for an avg of 48.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 78 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 37 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 214 days

26. Atlanta, Georgia (79.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 63.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 115 days for an avg of 50.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 44 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 42 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 216 days

25. Jacksonville, Florida (79.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 69.3 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 115 days for an avg of 53.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 82 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 15 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 221 days

24. Charlotte, North Carolina (79.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 61.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 112 days for an avg of 43.6 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 47 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 62 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 213 days

23. Midland-Odessa, Texas (79.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65.8 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 50 days for an avg of 13.5 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 107 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 61 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 261 days

22. Dallas, Texas (79.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 68 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 79 days for an avg of 38.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 104 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 30 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 232 days

21. Orlando, Florida (79.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 73 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 117 days for an avg of 51.5 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 101 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 2 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 235 days

20. Austin, Texas (79.8/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 70 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 84 days for an avg of 36.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 116 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 17 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 229 days

19. San Francisco, California (79.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 57.7 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 67 days for an avg of 22.9 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 2 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 260 days

18. Fort Myers, Florida (80.5/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 75.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 113 days for an avg of 57.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 102 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 266 days

17. Lihue, Hawaii (80.6/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 76.3 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 197 days for an avg of 36.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 0 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 240 days

16. Savannah, Georgia (80.9/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 67.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: N/A days for an avg of 48.1 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 73 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 26 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 213 days

15. Tampa, Florida (81.1/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 74.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 107 days for an avg of 49.5 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 89 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 2 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 244 days

14. Stockton, California (81.1/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 63 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 54 days for an avg of 13.5 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 84 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 22 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 261 days

13. Daytona Beach, Florida (81.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 71.5 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 116 days for an avg of 51.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 60 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 5 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 229 days

12. Redding, California (81.3/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 63.4 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 79 days for an avg of 33.5 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 106 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 29 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 249 days

11. Key West, Florida (81.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 78.9 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 107 days for an avg of 40.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 50 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 258 days

10. Bakersfield, California (82.5/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 66.2 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 37 days for an avg of 6.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 110 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 12 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 272 days

9. Sacramento, California (82.6/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 61.8 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 57 days for an avg of 18.1 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 75 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 17 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 265 days

8. Santa Maria, California (82.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 58.6 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 46 days for an avg of 13.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 5 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 15 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 285 days

7. Fresno, California (82.7/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 45 days for an avg of 11.0 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 109 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 18 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 267 days

6. Kahului, Hawaii (83.0/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 77.1 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 88 days for an avg of 16.2 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 29 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 275 days

5. Honolulu, Hawaii (84.6/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 78 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 92 days for an avg of 16.4 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 25 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 271 days

4. Charleston, South Carolina (85.5/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 67.2 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 107 days for an avg of 44.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 30 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 10 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 210 days

3. San Diego, California (85.8/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 64.7 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 41 days for an avg of 9.8 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 3 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 263 days

2. Los Angeles, California (87.2/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 65.8 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: N/A days for an avg of 14.3 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 21 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 262 days

1. Long Beach, California (87.3/100)

• Avg. annual temperature: 64.9 F
• Avg. rainy days per year: 34 days for an avg of 12.0 inches annually
• Avg. days of over 90F per year: 22 days
• Avg. days below freezing per year: 0 days
• Avg. sunny or partly cloudy days per year: 278 days

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