Hot weather can be a nice change of pace from the gloom of winter, and is often welcomed in particularly cold and rainy parts of the country. Many people look forward to the warmth and sunshine all year and even migrate to find it. Too much heat, though, can be a problem.
Unfortunately, temperatures just keep getting hotter. Both 2023 and 2024 were the hottest years in modern history, and 2025 just barely missed the mark. The heat is inescapable, too, as ocean temperatures (SSTs) also reached consecutive highs, only exacerbating the issue.
So, as the climate warms and plays an increasingly large role in dictating where people live, we thought it would be helpful to break down the hottest states in the U.S. Whether you’re looking to escape the heat or become one with the sun, this list is for you.
The hottest states in the U.S.
Texas, Louisiana, and Florida are the hottest states in the U.S., where average summer temperatures exceed 82°F and highs regularly surpass the century mark. Unsurprisingly, the hottest states are clustered in the Southern third of America, generally around the Gulf of Mexico.
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State
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Average summer temperature
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Average annual temperature
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Record highest temperature (year recorded)
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Hottest city (avg summer temperature)
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82.5°F
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66.2°F
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120°F (1936, 1994)
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Del Rio, TX (89.0°F)
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82.1°F
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67.5°F
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114°F (1936)
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New Orleans, LA (84.8°F)
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82.1°F
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71.7°F
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109°F (1931)
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Marathon, FL (85.1°F)
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80.5°F
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60.7°F
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120°F (1936)
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Altus, OK (83.5°F)
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80.4°F
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64.6°F
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115°F (1930)
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Yazoo City, MS (83.8°F)
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79.6°F
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64.5°F
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112°F (1952, 1983)
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Folkston, GA (82.7°F)
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79.5°F
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61.4°F
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128°F (1994)
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Phoenix, AZ (93.8°F)
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79.5°F
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63.6°F
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113°F (2012)
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Columbia, SC (82.3°F)
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79.5°F
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63.9°F
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112°F (1925)
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Montgomery, AL (83.3°F)
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79.5°F
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61.4°F
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120°F (1936)
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Crossett, AR (82.2°F)
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If we were to measure by average annual temperature, Hawaii (66.5°F) would come in at number three. Coastal states typically have less temperature variability, which usually keeps them warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
>> Read: The 10 Hottest Cities in the U.S.
Why are these states so hot?
Spanning from Texas to Florida, the American South is the hottest region in the country. Southern states are so hot because they’re located closer to the equator, deserts, and warm bodies of water. We’ll highlight three notable states.
Texas sees both warm winters along its subtropical southern coast and extremely hot summers in its western desert. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – situated between the Gulf of Mexico and Chihuahuan Desert – is one of the hottest regions in the state, home to notoriously hot cities like Brownsville and McAllen. Plus, with few significant changes in elevation, most of the state surpasses 100°F during the summer months. And when heat waves arrive, very little blocks their path.
Florida is generally warm but never “hot”. The warm waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico help keep temperatures warm year-round, but never extremely hot. As such, it is by far the hottest state in the contiguous U.S. based on average annual temperatures. Heat indexes, however, can reach well over 110°F along the coasts. 2025 was one of the hottest years on record for the state, featuring abnormally warm and dry weather that stretched for months on end.
Finally, it may be surprising to see Arizona ranked so low given its reputation for extreme heat. However, this is because the northern half of the state is relatively mild during the summer, especially on the highest peaks of the Colorado Plateau. Flagstaff, for example, has an average July high temperature of 82.3°F, compared to 107.7°F in Phoenix. Even so, extreme summer heat is common in the rapidly warming Sonoran desert, where most of the state’s population lives.
What to consider when deciding where to move
Since the pandemic, Americans have been flocking to the Sun Belt for its sunny weather and relative affordability. Places like Las Vegas, Austin, Phoenix, and Miami – some of the nation’s hottest cities – have been among the most popular destinations.
So, if you’re planning on moving somewhere warm, it’s essential to consider how extreme heat could affect your daily life, health, and safety.
The heat index (a “feels like” temperature) is a great place to start. Heat indices account for both air temperatures and relative humidity – both of which are climbing rapidly as the climate warms. They impact everything from daily routines to your health and safety. Heat waves, the deadliest form of extreme weather, are made far worse when humidity is at play.
Take Louisiana, for example. In a typical summer, northern cities like Ruston and Monroe can easily reach 95°F, while cities along the coast rarely experience air temperatures above 95°F. However, when accounting for humidity, the coast often feels hotter than more inland areas, with heat indices regularly topping 100°F in cities like New Orleans and Lafayette. Florida experiences a similar pattern.
The greatest heat risks occur where high temperatures and humidity overlap. That’s one reason the Southeast and Southwest face such dangerous summer conditions. So, if you’re thinking of relocating, check out the area’s risk of extreme heat beforehand. You can view a property’s climate risks on Redfin.com, which partners with First Street (now owned by MSCI) to provide climate risk information for nearly every property in the U.S.
Are temperatures getting hotter?
Global average temperatures reached 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial averages in both 2024 and 2025. The United Nations now considers at least a temporary overshoot of the 1.5°C warming target inevitable, increasing the risk of long-lasting and potentially irreversible climate impacts. Current emissions levels could push global warming toward 2.8°C by the end of the century.
However, this warming isn’t evenly distributed across the globe. Europe has warmed faster than any other continent, while Antarctica has heated the slowest (though still substantially). The U.S. has warmed by 3°F since 1970, or around 60% faster than the rest of the world.
However, researchers have noticed a rare phenomenon known as a “warming hole” in some Central and Southern U.S. states. Daytime summer temperatures have remained somewhat stable over the last 50 years in states like Alabama, Oklahoma, and Kentucky, while nighttime temperatures have climbed as scientists would expect. It’s unlikely that this trend will continue indefinitely, but it shows how variable the climate is.
No matter what the future holds, preparing for a hotter climate is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your home. Whether you rent or own, small changes can help make extreme weather events safer and more manageable.
Methodology
To determine the “hottest” states, we measured a state’s average summer temperature. This way, we account for states that see very hot summers and cooler winters, instead of exclusively favoring tropical locations that are warm year-round. We also included each state’s average annual temperature, though it didn’t factor into the rankings.
An average summer temperature combines a state’s daily high and low temperatures from June-August. An average annual temperature combines a state’s annual average daily high and low temperatures and averages them into one number.
Climate data comes from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and its parent administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Average summer temperatures are a three-month average based on data from June-August 1997-2026. Average annual temperatures are a twelve-month average based on data from 1996-2025. Record-high temperature data can be found here.
