The vast majority of people in the United States like warm and sunny weather and dislike cold, snowy, rainy, damp and cloudy weather. On that basis, here are ten major cities in the United States that you don't want to live in based upon weather.
All of the cities on this list share one commonality. They all have crappy weather and not many people ever move to any one of these cities because of the weather. That doesn't mean nobody should live in these cities. Nobody can control where they were born and where they grow up and family is more important to most people than the weather is.
But if you have a choice it's unlikely you would choose to live in one of these cities because of the weather. Listed for each city below is how badly they each rank in many weather categories like sunshine levels, wind speeds, annual rainfall, annual snowfall, average temperatures and how many cloudy days each city averages a year.
To be on the list a city must have a metro area population of at least 500,000 people. A lot of other cities like Anchorage, Alaska, Syracuse, New York, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Burlington, Vermont and even Hilo, Hawaii would make this list but their population sizes are too small.
Ten Major Cities in United States You Don't Want to Live In Due to the Weather
10. Boston
Of all the cities on this list Boston is tied for the highest annual sunshine level at 58% but there is one major weather stat where Boston is the worst city in the United States. Boston is the windiest weather city in the United States among cities with large populations.
The wind speed in Boston, Massachusetts averages a very blustery 12.3 mph, which is 2 miles per hour more than Chicago (the windy city) averages. Add in Boston has the 10th coldest average temperature among major cities (51.5 degrees) and averages the 8th most annual snowfall (43.8") and you can see why Boston is on this list of major cities in the United States you don't want to live in due the the weather.
9. Chicago
The weather in Chicago is not great but it's better than the other eight cities below it on the list. Despite its nickname, Chicago is just the 12th windiest city in the United States with an average wind speed of 10.3 mph, and it's also 12th in the country in annual snowfall at 36.7". And Chicago averages a decent 54% annual sunshine level.
But Chicago ranks 5th among major US cities with an average daily temperature of just 50.0 degrees. Chicago is tied for the 2nd most below zero temperature days a year at 7 and ranks 7th for most below freezing days a year with 122.
8. Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the second coldest major city in the United States with an average daily temperature of just 47.9 degrees. The city is tied for the 2nd most below freezing temperature days a year at 7. Milwaukee ranks 4th for the most freezing days a year at 126 and ranks 7th for most annual snowfall at 46.9".
The only thing keeping Milwaukee from ranking lower on the list is that the city averages a decent 54% annual sunshine level. So even though it's a cold and snowy city at least the sun shines more often in Milwaukee than most of the other cities lower on this list.
8. Detroit
Detroit is the 7th coldest city in the United States (50.4 degrees), averages the 9th most annual snowfall (42.7"), averages the 8th most cloudy days a year (290) and the 10th most rainy days a year (135). Detroit has an annual sunshine level of 53% which is 8th worst among major US cities.
7. Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon makes this list because the city averages just 48% annual sunshine which is 4th worst among major cities in the United States. Portland is not a cold or snowy weather city but it ranks 3rd for most rainy days a year at 164, ranks 2nd for most days of heavy cloud cover at 222 and ranks 6th for most cloudy days a year at 296.
6. Pittsburgh
There are really no positives when it comes to the weather in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The city averages just 45% annual sunshine, has the 5th most rainy days a year at 151, it's the 9th coldest city in America at 51.4 degrees average annual temperature, averages the 10th most snow at 41.9" and Pittsburgh averages the 3rd most cloudy days a year at 306.
5. Cleveland
Cleveland is a lot like Pittsburgh only worse. The city averages 68.1" of snowfall a year which is 3rd worst in the country and the city averages 155 days a year of rain which is 4th worst in the country. Cleveland is the 8th windiest city in the country (10.5 mph) and it averages the 5th most cloudy days at 299 a year. Cleveland's annual sunshine level is just 49%.
4. Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York is the snowiest major city in the United States with annual snowfall average of 99.5". Rochester is the 3rd coldest city in the country with a 48.3 degrees annual average temperature and the city is tied for #1 for most rainy days a year at 167.
What keeps Rochester from ranking any lower is the city has a much higher annual sunshine level (51%) than two of the cities below and it's not nearly as cold and windy as the #1 city on this list.
3. Seattle
Seattle does not have really cold or snowy weather but the city ranks worst among all major cities in the United States with an annual sunshine level of just 43%. That means the sun shines just 43% of the time so most days in Seattle are cloudy and gloomy.
Seattle ranks #1 in the country with the most heavy cloudy days at 226 days a year when clouds cover 3/4 of the sky. Seattle ranks 2nd for most cloudy days a year defined as when at least 1/4 of the sky is cloudy at 308 days and the city ranks 6th in rainy days at 149 a year.
Add all that up and unless you like cloudy and rainy days you don't want to live in Seattle due to the weather.
2. Buffalo
If you know anything about the city you knew Buffalo was going to be very high up on this list. Buffalo is the #1 city in the country for most cloudy days a year at 311, it's tied for #1 for most rainy days at 167, it's the second snowiest city (94.7"), it's tied for 2nd worst annual sunshine level at 48%, it's the 3rd windiest city (11.8 mph) and Buffalo is the 4th coldest city in the United States with a 48.4 degrees annual temperature level.
Why would anybody want to live in Buffalo, New York? As far as the weather goes Buffalo does get well over 60% annual sunshine levels in the summer but other than that who knows? It is close to Niagara Falls one of the great scenic wonders of the world.
1. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota is the coldest weather city in the United States (46.3 degrees average). Minneapolis averages a whopping 23 days a year when the temperature drops below zero which is easily the most in the country. The city has the 2nd most below freezing days a year at 148 days and Minneapolis ranks 5th for yearly snowfall at 54" a year and is the 8th windiest city in the country (10.5 mph).
Add all that up and you have the #1 city in the United States where you do not want to live because of the weather. The one positive Minneapolis does have is that it is tied with Boston for most annual sunshine among cities on this list at 58% but the extreme cold and annual snowfall levels overwhelm all else to make Minneapolis the #1 city you don't want to live in due to the weather.
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