US states by cooling degree days

Florida had the highest cooling degree days of 48 states in 2017, at 3,879 degree days (base 65°F). Vermont had the lowest, at 162 degree days (base 65°F). The median was 836 degree days (base 65°F) and the figure for the United States was 1,418 degree days (base 65°F). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest3,879Florida
Lowest162Vermont
Median83648 states
United States1,418History

Map of states, 2017

Alabama: 1,919 degree days (base 65°F)Arizona: 3,338 degree days (base 65°F)Arkansas: 1,670 degree days (base 65°F)California: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)Colorado: 318 degree days (base 65°F)Connecticut: 592 degree days (base 65°F)Delaware: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)Florida: 3,879 degree days (base 65°F)Georgia: 1,733 degree days (base 65°F)Idaho: 615 degree days (base 65°F)Illinois: 840 degree days (base 65°F)Indiana: 838 degree days (base 65°F)Iowa: 807 degree days (base 65°F)Kansas: 1,406 degree days (base 65°F)Kentucky: 1,161 degree days (base 65°F)Louisiana: 2,747 degree days (base 65°F)Maine: 215 degree days (base 65°F)Maryland: 1,112 degree days (base 65°F)Massachusetts: 477 degree days (base 65°F)Michigan: 561 degree days (base 65°F)Minnesota: 401 degree days (base 65°F)Mississippi: 2,157 degree days (base 65°F)Missouri: 1,248 degree days (base 65°F)Montana: 279 degree days (base 65°F)Nebraska: 1,002 degree days (base 65°F)Nevada: 2,312 degree days (base 65°F)New Hampshire: 251 degree days (base 65°F)New Jersey: 834 degree days (base 65°F)New Mexico: 1,030 degree days (base 65°F)New York: 587 degree days (base 65°F)North Carolina: 1,536 degree days (base 65°F)North Dakota: 475 degree days (base 65°F)Ohio: 733 degree days (base 65°F)Oklahoma: 1,854 degree days (base 65°F)Oregon: 350 degree days (base 65°F)Pennsylvania: 667 degree days (base 65°F)Rhode Island: 531 degree days (base 65°F)South Carolina: 2,052 degree days (base 65°F)South Dakota: 694 degree days (base 65°F)Tennessee: 1,368 degree days (base 65°F)Texas: 2,944 degree days (base 65°F)Utah: 624 degree days (base 65°F)Vermont: 162 degree days (base 65°F)Virginia: 1,130 degree days (base 65°F)Washington: 254 degree days (base 65°F)West Virginia: 729 degree days (base 65°F)Wisconsin: 466 degree days (base 65°F)Wyoming: 292 degree days (base 65°F)
  • Under 390
  • 390 to 610
  • 610 to 840
  • 840 to 1,200
  • 1,200 to 1,900
  • 1,900 and over
  • No data
degree days (base 65°F), 2017. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2017

Florida: 3,879 degree days (base 65°F)Florida3,879Arizona: 3,338 degree days (base 65°F)Arizona3,338Texas: 2,944 degree days (base 65°F)Texas2,944Louisiana: 2,747 degree days (base 65°F)Louisiana2,747Nevada: 2,312 degree days (base 65°F)Nevada2,312Mississippi: 2,157 degree days (base 65°F)Mississippi2,157South Carolina: 2,052 degree days (base 65°F)South Carolina2,052Alabama: 1,919 degree days (base 65°F)Alabama1,919Oklahoma: 1,854 degree days (base 65°F)Oklahoma1,854Georgia: 1,733 degree days (base 65°F)Georgia1,733Arkansas: 1,670 degree days (base 65°F)Arkansas1,670North Carolina: 1,536 degree days (base 65°F)North Carolina1,536Kansas: 1,406 degree days (base 65°F)Kansas1,406Tennessee: 1,368 degree days (base 65°F)Tennessee1,368Missouri: 1,248 degree days (base 65°F)Missouri1,248California: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)California1,167Delaware: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)Delaware1,167Kentucky: 1,161 degree days (base 65°F)Kentucky1,161Virginia: 1,130 degree days (base 65°F)Virginia1,130Maryland: 1,112 degree days (base 65°F)Maryland1,112New Mexico: 1,030 degree days (base 65°F)New Mexico1,030Nebraska: 1,002 degree days (base 65°F)Nebraska1,002Illinois: 840 degree days (base 65°F)Illinois840Indiana: 838 degree days (base 65°F)Indiana838New Jersey: 834 degree days (base 65°F)New Jersey834Iowa: 807 degree days (base 65°F)Iowa807Ohio: 733 degree days (base 65°F)Ohio733West Virginia: 729 degree days (base 65°F)West Virginia729South Dakota: 694 degree days (base 65°F)South Dakota694Pennsylvania: 667 degree days (base 65°F)Pennsylvania667Utah: 624 degree days (base 65°F)Utah624Idaho: 615 degree days (base 65°F)Idaho615Connecticut: 592 degree days (base 65°F)Connecticut592New York: 587 degree days (base 65°F)New York587Michigan: 561 degree days (base 65°F)Michigan561Rhode Island: 531 degree days (base 65°F)Rhode Island531Massachusetts: 477 degree days (base 65°F)Massachusetts477North Dakota: 475 degree days (base 65°F)North Dakota475Wisconsin: 466 degree days (base 65°F)Wisconsin466Minnesota: 401 degree days (base 65°F)Minnesota401Oregon: 350 degree days (base 65°F)Oregon350Colorado: 318 degree days (base 65°F)Colorado318Wyoming: 292 degree days (base 65°F)Wyoming292Montana: 279 degree days (base 65°F)Montana279Washington: 254 degree days (base 65°F)Washington254New Hampshire: 251 degree days (base 65°F)New Hampshire251Maine: 215 degree days (base 65°F)Maine215Vermont: 162 degree days (base 65°F)Vermont162Florida: 3,879 degree days (base 65°F)Florida3,879Arizona: 3,338 degree days (base 65°F)Arizona3,338Texas: 2,944 degree days (base 65°F)Texas2,944Louisiana: 2,747 degree days (base 65°F)Louisiana2,747Nevada: 2,312 degree days (base 65°F)Nevada2,312Mississippi: 2,157 degree days (base 65°F)Mississippi2,157South Carolina: 2,052 degree days (base 65°F)South Carolina2,052Alabama: 1,919 degree days (base 65°F)Alabama1,919Oklahoma: 1,854 degree days (base 65°F)Oklahoma1,854Georgia: 1,733 degree days (base 65°F)Georgia1,733Arkansas: 1,670 degree days (base 65°F)Arkansas1,670North Carolina: 1,536 degree days (base 65°F)North Carolina1,536Kansas: 1,406 degree days (base 65°F)Kansas1,406Tennessee: 1,368 degree days (base 65°F)Tennessee1,368Missouri: 1,248 degree days (base 65°F)Missouri1,248California: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)California1,167Delaware: 1,167 degree days (base 65°F)Delaware1,167Kentucky: 1,161 degree days (base 65°F)Kentucky1,161Virginia: 1,130 degree days (base 65°F)Virginia1,130Maryland: 1,112 degree days (base 65°F)Maryland1,112New Mexico: 1,030 degree days (base 65°F)New Mexico1,030Nebraska: 1,002 degree days (base 65°F)Nebraska1,002Illinois: 840 degree days (base 65°F)Illinois840Indiana: 838 degree days (base 65°F)Indiana838New Jersey: 834 degree days (base 65°F)New Jersey834Iowa: 807 degree days (base 65°F)Iowa807Ohio: 733 degree days (base 65°F)Ohio733West Virginia: 729 degree days (base 65°F)West Virginia729South Dakota: 694 degree days (base 65°F)South Dakota694Pennsylvania: 667 degree days (base 65°F)Pennsylvania667Utah: 624 degree days (base 65°F)Utah624Idaho: 615 degree days (base 65°F)Idaho615Connecticut: 592 degree days (base 65°F)Connecticut592New York: 587 degree days (base 65°F)New York587Michigan: 561 degree days (base 65°F)Michigan561Rhode Island: 531 degree days (base 65°F)Rhode Island531Massachusetts: 477 degree days (base 65°F)Massachusetts477North Dakota: 475 degree days (base 65°F)North Dakota475Wisconsin: 466 degree days (base 65°F)Wisconsin466Minnesota: 401 degree days (base 65°F)Minnesota401Oregon: 350 degree days (base 65°F)Oregon350Colorado: 318 degree days (base 65°F)Colorado318Wyoming: 292 degree days (base 65°F)Wyoming292Montana: 279 degree days (base 65°F)Montana279Washington: 254 degree days (base 65°F)Washington254New Hampshire: 251 degree days (base 65°F)New Hampshire251Maine: 215 degree days (base 65°F)Maine215Vermont: 162 degree days (base 65°F)Vermont162
degree days (base 65°F). Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2017
degree days (base 65°F)
Change on 2016
1Florida3,879+0.9%
2Arizona3,338+3.7%
3Texas2,944-3.8%
4Louisiana2,747-7.7%
5Nevada2,312+2.6%
6Mississippi2,157-13.6%
7South Carolina2,052-11.1%
8Alabama1,919-16.7%
9Oklahoma1,854-14.8%
10Georgia1,733-16.6%
11Arkansas1,670-16.1%
12North Carolina1,536-13%
13Kansas1,406-14%
14Tennessee1,368-22.4%
15Missouri1,248-16%
16California1,167+14.1%
16Delaware1,167-14.1%
18Kentucky1,161-22.5%
19Virginia1,130-15.4%
20Maryland1,112-16.3%
21New Mexico1,030-3.5%
22Nebraska1,002-9.9%
23Illinois840-22.9%
24Indiana838-24.3%
25New Jersey834-21.2%
26Iowa807-14.3%
27Ohio733-29.8%
28West Virginia729-30.3%
29South Dakota694-11.4%
30Pennsylvania667-27%
31Utah624+4.7%
32Idaho615+35.2%
33Connecticut592-25.6%
34New York587-26.7%
35Michigan561-27.2%
36Rhode Island531-26.4%
37Massachusetts477-28.4%
38North Dakota475-2.9%
39Wisconsin466-27.4%
40Minnesota401-21.1%
41Oregon350+57.7%
42Colorado318-11.2%
43Wyoming292-6.1%
44Montana279+55%
45Washington254+46%
46New Hampshire251-33.4%
47Maine215-26.6%
48Vermont162-43.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Sum over January to December of the degrees by which the daily mean temperature exceeds 65°F, a measure of cooling demand. NOAA estimates monthly values from nClimDiv temperatures and weights areas by population (2010 Census).

NOAA publishes these for operational monitoring; they can differ from official degree day publications.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

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APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide (US states by cooling degree days, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide, US states by cooling degree days, 2017. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. US states by cooling degree days, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide, US states by cooling degree days, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_us_states_by_cooling_2017,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide: US states by cooling degree days, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide: US states by cooling degree days, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/cooling-degree-days/us-states?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/statewide/time-series/8/cdd/12/12/1895-2025/data.json. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank US states by cooling degree days using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest cooling degree days?

Florida, with 3,879 degree days (base 65°F) in 2017, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which state has the lowest cooling degree days?

Vermont, with 162 degree days (base 65°F) in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December cooling degree days (base 65°F), contiguous US and statewide. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings