Climate Stress Index · methodology v2.0
75 metros, climate and cost kept separate.
Climate scores use temperature, freeze exposure and precipitation. The cost index uses state residential electricity prices. Missing snowfall displays as unavailable and is never treated as zero.
| Climate rank | Metro | Climate | Class | Jan. low | Freeze months | Snow | Cost index | 9 kW/session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fargo, ND | 76.7 | Severe climate load | 0.2°F | 6 | 51.4 in | 13.6 | $2.31 |
| #2 | Anchorage, AK | 70.2 | High climate load | 8.2°F | 7 | 76.9 in | 75.3 | $4.80 |
| #3 | Minneapolis, MN | 66.0 | High climate load | 8.1°F | 5 | 40.4 in | 29.8 | $2.91 |
| #4 | Sioux Falls, SD | 65.7 | High climate load | 7.4°F | 5 | 45.3 in | 21.5 | $2.57 |
| #5 | Madison, WI | 63.8 | High climate load | 11.1°F | 5 | 38.5 in | 36.2 | $3.13 |
| #6 | Manchester, NH | 62.1 | High climate load | 13.0°F | 5 | 52.8 in | 66.4 | $4.34 |
| #7 | Portland, ME | 60.3 | High climate load | 15.6°F | 5 | 68.7 in | 89.6 | $5.22 |
| #8 | Des Moines, IA | 60.2 | High climate load | 13.8°F | 5 | 36.5 in | 24.0 | $2.60 |
| #9 | Omaha, NE | 57.8 | High climate load | 15.2°F | 5 | 27.1 in | 15.1 | $2.22 |
| #10 | Burlington, VT | 57.4 | High climate load | 12.9°F | 4 | 87.5 in | 55.0 | $3.87 |
| #11 | Grand Rapids, MI | 57.3 | High climate load | 17.0°F | 5 | 74.9 in | 52.2 | $3.69 |
| #12 | Billings, MT | 55.8 | High climate load | 14.4°F | 5 | 35.0 in | 20.0 | $2.43 |
| #13 | Cheyenne, WY | 55.3 | High climate load | 18.4°F | 6 | 62.9 in | 17.4 | $2.28 |
| #14 | Milwaukee, WI | 52.2 | Moderate climate load | 17.2°F | 4 | 48.7 in | 36.2 | $3.05 |
| #15 | Indianapolis, IN | 52.1 | Moderate climate load | 18.9°F | 4 | 25.5 in | 26.9 | $2.66 |
| #16 | Colorado Springs, CO | 51.4 | Moderate climate load | 18.5°F | 5 | 32.5 in | 28.0 | $2.70 |
| #17 | Buffalo, NY | 51.3 | Moderate climate load | 19.0°F | 4 | 95.4 in | 79.6 | $4.74 |
| #18 | Hartford, CT | 50.3 | Moderate climate load | 20.3°F | 4 | 51.7 in | 56.6 | $3.81 |
| #19 | Columbus, OH | 50.0 | Moderate climate load | 20.9°F | 4 | 28.2 in | 37.8 | $3.06 |
| #20 | Chicago, IL | 49.8 | Moderate climate load | 19.4°F | 4 | 38.8 in | 36.9 | $3.04 |
| #21 | Pittsburgh, PA | 49.3 | Moderate climate load | 20.5°F | 4 | 44.1 in | 46.9 | $3.42 |
| #22 | Providence, RI | 49.2 | Moderate climate load | 22.1°F | 4 | 36.6 in | 73.2 | $4.42 |
| #23 | Detroit, MI | 48.5 | Moderate climate load | 19.8°F | 4 | 30.8 in | 52.2 | $3.64 |
| #24 | Denver, CO | 48.3 | Moderate climate load | 21.3°F | 5 | 40.7 in | 28.0 | $2.67 |
| #25 | Boston, MA | 47.4 | Moderate climate load | 23.1°F | 4 | 49.2 in | 82.0 | $4.75 |
| #26 | Cleveland, OH | 45.1 | Moderate climate load | 23.5°F | 4 | 63.8 in | 37.8 | $3.02 |
| #27 | Spokane, WA | 44.7 | Moderate climate load | 24.7°F | 5 | 45.4 in | 18.8 | $2.27 |
| #28 | Wilmington, DE | 43.9 | Moderate climate load | 23.8°F | 3 | 12.0 in | 33.9 | $2.87 |
| #29 | Kansas City, MO | 43.5 | Moderate climate load | 22.2°F | 3 | 11.0 in | 24.4 | $2.51 |
| #30 | Wichita, KS | 42.8 | Moderate climate load | 22.2°F | 3 | 12.7 in | 21.1 | $2.39 |
| #31 | Newark, NJ | 42.7 | Moderate climate load | 24.9°F | 3 | 28.2 in | 60.8 | $3.89 |
| #32 | St. Louis, MO | 41.9 | Moderate climate load | 24.6°F | 3 | 16.6 in | 24.4 | $2.49 |
| #33 | Louisville, KY | 41.2 | Moderate climate load | 25.9°F | 3 | 4.3 in | 15.2 | $2.12 |
| #34 | Charleston, WV | 40.7 | Moderate climate load | 26.1°F | 3 | 31.5 in | 23.1 | $2.42 |
| #35 | Nashville, TN | 40.4 | Moderate climate load | 27.5°F | 3 | 4.7 in | 14.8 | $2.09 |
| #36 | Boise, ID | 39.0 | Moderate climate load | 25.5°F | 4 | 17.6 in | 14.9 | $2.11 |
| #37 | Washington, DC | 38.7 | Moderate climate load | 27.8°F | 3 | 9.7 in | 60.8 | $3.84 |
| #38 | Oklahoma City, OK | 37.9 | Moderate climate load | 27.0°F | 3 | 6.7 in | 17.4 | $2.19 |
| #39 | Tulsa, OK | 37.6 | Moderate climate load | 28.0°F | 3 | 8.7 in | 17.4 | $2.18 |
| #40 | Reno, NV | 37.6 | Moderate climate load | 26.1°F | 4 | 20.9 in | 11.1 | $1.96 |
| #41 | Philadelphia, PA | 35.7 | Moderate climate load | 27.8°F | 2 | 16.1 in | 46.9 | $3.31 |
| #42 | New York, NY | 35.4 | Moderate climate load | 27.9°F | 2 | 29.8 in | 79.6 | $4.55 |
| #43 | Salt Lake City, UT | 33.9 | Mild climate load | 27.6°F | 3 | 49.0 in | 12.5 | $2.00 |
| #44 | Richmond, VA | 33.7 | Mild climate load | 28.8°F | 2 | 8.8 in | 30.2 | $2.66 |
| #45 | Albuquerque, NM | 33.7 | Mild climate load | 26.4°F | 3 | 7.9 in | 24.4 | $2.46 |
| #46 | Baltimore, MD | 32.0 | Mild climate load | 30.0°F | 2 | 19.3 in | 45.6 | $3.22 |
| #47 | Little Rock, AR | 28.3 | Mild climate load | 30.9°F | 1 | 3.8 in | 17.3 | $2.15 |
| #48 | Raleigh, NC | 27.4 | Mild climate load | 31.6°F | 1 | 4.5 in | 20.6 | $2.26 |
| #49 | Virginia Beach, VA | 26.9 | Mild climate load | 31.6°F | 1 | 3.4 in | 30.2 | $2.62 |
| #50 | Charlotte, NC | 26.1 | Mild climate load | 31.8°F | 1 | 3.5 in | 20.6 | $2.26 |
| #51 | Memphis, TN | 22.6 | Mild climate load | 33.3°F | 0 | 2.7 in | 14.8 | $2.03 |
| #52 | Birmingham, AL | 21.1 | Mild climate load | 34.9°F | 0 | 1.4 in | 25.6 | $2.41 |
| #53 | Atlanta, GA | 21.1 | Mild climate load | 33.5°F | 0 | 2.2 in | 25.1 | $2.41 |
| #54 | Jackson, MS | 17.3 | Mild climate load | 37.5°F | 0 | 1.0 in | 18.2 | $2.11 |
| #55 | Portland, OR | 16.3 | Mild climate load | 37.3°F | 0 | 3.6 in | 23.9 | $2.32 |
| #56 | Seattle, WA | 15.5 | Mild climate load | 36.8°F | 0 | 3.8 in | 18.8 | $2.14 |
| #57 | Dallas, TX | 14.6 | Mild climate load | 37.9°F | 0 | 1.7 in | 23.5 | $2.30 |
| #58 | El Paso, TX | 13.0 | Mild climate load | 34.5°F | 0 | 2.8 in | 23.5 | $2.34 |
| #59 | New Orleans, LA | 11.8 | Mild climate load | 45.0°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.9 | $1.77 |
| #60 | San Antonio, TX | 11.3 | Mild climate load | 40.2°F | 0 | 0.1 in | 23.5 | $2.27 |
| #61 | Houston, TX | 10.4 | Mild climate load | 44.3°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 23.5 | $2.22 |
| #62 | Miami, FL | 10.2 | Mild climate load | 61.2°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 20.1 | $2.10 |
| #63 | Austin, TX | 10.0 | Mild climate load | 41.8°F | 0 | 0.2 in | 23.5 | $2.25 |
| #64 | Charleston, SC | 9.4 | Mild climate load | 43.6°F | 0 | 0.3 in | 21.9 | $2.17 |
| #65 | Orlando, FL | 9.2 | Mild climate load | 51.8°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 20.1 | $2.10 |
| #66 | Tampa, FL | 8.8 | Mild climate load | 52.8°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 20.1 | $2.10 |
| #67 | Jacksonville, FL | 8.5 | Mild climate load | 47.2°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 20.1 | $2.10 |
| #68 | Sacramento, CA | 7.7 | Mild climate load | 41.1°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 94.4 | $4.79 |
| #69 | Las Vegas, NV | 6.8 | Mild climate load | 39.4°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.1 | $1.83 |
| #70 | Tucson, AZ | 5.0 | Mild climate load | 42.3°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 21.5 | $2.18 |
| #71 | San Francisco, CA | 4.1 | Mild climate load | 46.6°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 94.4 | $4.69 |
| #72 | Honolulu, HI | 3.7 | Mild climate load | 66.0°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 100 | $6.70 |
| #73 | Los Angeles, CA | 2.5 | Mild climate load | 48.9°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 94.4 | $4.69 |
| #74 | San Diego, CA | 1.7 | Mild climate load | 50.3°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 94.4 | $4.69 |
| #75 | Phoenix, AZ | 1.3 | Mild climate load | 46.0°F | 0 | 0.0 in | 21.5 | $2.15 |
Snow rankings and totals include only stations with at least 10 months of explicit snowfall normals. Electricity values are statewide residential averages.