Best Weather Counties

Counties with the most comfortable year-round climate — mild temperatures, low humidity, and minimal extreme weather.

Weather comfort is subjective, but our scoring system focuses on objective climate metrics that most people agree contribute to livability: mild average temperatures, low temperature extremes, moderate precipitation, comfortable humidity levels, and abundant sunshine. Data comes from NOAA Climate Normals — 30-year averages that smooth out year-to-year variability. California's coastal counties and parts of the Pacific Northwest consistently rank highest, offering the mild, Mediterranean-style climates most people prefer. Hawaii counties also score extremely well. The Southeast offers warmth but scores lower due to high humidity and severe storm frequency. The upper Midwest and Northern Plains face the opposite challenge with extreme cold. For retirees escaping harsh winters or remote workers choosing a home base, weather rankings can narrow the search significantly — though we recommend balancing climate preferences against cost of living, since many top-weather counties carry premium housing costs.

Based on NOAA Climate Normals data.

Showing top 100 of 3139 counties with data

#	County	Score	Tax	Cost	Income
1	Cobb County, Georgia	90.5	64.7	5.8	95
2	San Francisco County, California	87.4	65.1	0.2	99.7
3	Cherokee County, Georgia	84.1	63.2	5.7	96.6
4	Dawson County, Georgia	84.1	70.6	11.8	91.6
5	Gilmer County, Georgia	84.1	94.8	38.5	72.7
6	Pickens County, Georgia	83.7	67.4	24.9	77.8
7	Northampton County, Virginia	81.8	73.6	54.6	27.5
8	Ventura County, California	81.2	64	0.7	96.8
9	Marion County, Tennessee	81.1	91	60.8	33.1
10	Santa Clara County, California	80.7	62.5	0.1	100
11	Rabun County, Georgia	79.2	82.2	43.5	43.6
12	Fannin County, Georgia	79.1	96.2	50.2	33
13	Towns County, Georgia	79.1	95.7	51.3	33.9
14	Union County, Georgia	79.1	85.2	49.6	56.5
15	Clay County, North Carolina	79.1	90.5	62.3	22
16	San Mateo County, California	79	72.9	0.1	99.9
17	Santa Cruz County, California	78.8	71.8	0.8	97.4
18	Marin County, California	78.3	60.9	0.1	99.7
19	Alameda County, California	78.2	56.4	0.2	99
20	Transylvania County, North Carolina	77.9	89.9	47	52.2
21	Lancaster County, Virginia	77.8	86.9	34.6	59.4
22	Gloucester County, Virginia	77.5	75.1	16.3	87.6
23	Mathews County, Virginia	77.5	92.4	36	78
24	Middlesex County, Virginia	77.5	78.8	31.4	75.8
25	Buncombe County, North Carolina	77.4	74.4	16.6	67.9
26	Fentress County, Tennessee	77.4	96.7	94.8	16.4
27	Lumpkin County, Georgia	76.8	64.4	24	72.2
28	Pulaski County, Kentucky	76.7	69	63	16.7
29	Franklin County, Tennessee	76.7	78.7	49.8	43.8
30	Henderson County, North Carolina	76.6	83.6	26.4	60.6
31	White County, Georgia	76.5	67.5	34	65.7
32	Breathitt County, Kentucky	76.2	49.5	98.3	3.5
33	Hampton city, Virginia	76	40.7	11.6	61
34	Poquoson city, Virginia	76	44.9	3.9	98.7
35	Dare County, North Carolina	75.8	83.1	11.6	85
36	Accomack County, Virginia	75.6	86.2	51.4	31.6
37	Macon County, North Carolina	75.5	92.2	67.7	21.3
38	Grundy County, Tennessee	75.4	92.5	85.8	7.9
39	Hamilton County, Tennessee	75.4	66.5	21.1	72.8
40	Hamblen County, Tennessee	75.3	90	59.2	20.3
41	Gwinnett County, Georgia	75.2	39.8	5.1	88.4
42	Habersham County, Georgia	75.1	71.3	39.5	56.2
43	Monterey County, California	75	67.4	1.8	93.7
44	Forsyth County, Georgia	75	56.7	2	99.6
45	Jackson County, North Carolina	75	95.5	70	21.7
46	Newton County, Arkansas	74.9	93.5	90.8	10
47	Cumberland County, Tennessee	74.9	98.1	62.8	34.2
48	Sequatchie County, Tennessee	74.8	90.4	67.7	19.1
49	Bristol city, Virginia	74.7	56	56.2	7
50	Virginia Beach city, Virginia	74.7	53.3	4.4	92.3
51	Washington County, Virginia	74.7	84.4	61	47.4
52	San Luis Obispo County, California	74.5	62.7	2	93.1
53	Coffee County, Tennessee	74.4	73.5	49	41
54	Warren County, Tennessee	74.4	90.8	76.7	23
55	Harlan County, Kentucky	74.2	38.9	95.3	1.7
56	Haywood County, North Carolina	74.2	74.3	38.1	42
57	Johnson County, Tennessee	74	94.8	95.4	18.9
58	Del Norte County, California	73.8	75.9	28.9	58.6
59	Clinton County, Kentucky	73.8	80.7	93.9	4.5
60	Tyrrell County, North Carolina	73.7	45.7	85.7	6
61	Pickett County, Tennessee	73.7	95.4	84.2	6.8
62	Van Buren County, Tennessee	73.7	93.9	84.9	39.9
63	Dickenson County, Virginia	73.7	86.2	88.8	5.9
64	Hickman County, Tennessee	73.6	78.4	51.5	30.9
65	Worcester County, Maryland	73.5	57.2	14.1	85.3
66	Coos County, Oregon	73.5	58.6	27.1	40.1
67	Lewis County, Tennessee	73.5	85.3	73.7	13.3
68	Polk County, North Carolina	73.3	76.8	33.7	42
69	Blount County, Tennessee	73.2	85.5	29.3	76.7
70	Pike County, Kentucky	73.1	60	72.4	4.5
71	Banks County, Georgia	73	70.9	52.1	63.9
72	Lincoln County, North Carolina	73	75.2	29.9	82.2
73	Bedford County, Virginia	72.9	90	35.5	81.1
74	Calvert County, Maryland	72.8	47.1	3	99.4
75	Morgan County, Tennessee	72.8	76.4	81.2	31.4
76	Putnam County, Tennessee	72.8	83.3	46.5	28.8
77	DeKalb County, Alabama	72.7	96.8	87.5	17
78	Norton city, Virginia	72.7	54.8	88	2.2
79	Russell County, Virginia	72.7	82.1	92.8	12.5
80	Scott County, Virginia	72.7	66	93.7	7.4
81	Wise County, Virginia	72.7	78.7	76	16.2
82	Winston County, Alabama	72.6	97.3	80.4	11
83	Elbert County, Georgia	72.6	39.3	68.7	13.9
84	Gates County, North Carolina	72.6	55.3	41.7	43.9
85	Hertford County, North Carolina	72.6	40.1	57.5	10.2
86	Southampton County, Virginia	72.6	67.4	35	63
87	Knott County, Kentucky	72.5	61.1	89.1	1.9
88	Letcher County, Kentucky	72.4	43	94.3	3.2
89	Galax city, Virginia	72.3	56.8	69.3	3.8
90	Cleburne County, Alabama	72.2	98.6	76.7	21.3
91	Hall County, Georgia	72.2	56.7	15.7	80.7
92	Swain County, North Carolina	72.2	93.8	90.3	26.2
93	Bledsoe County, Tennessee	72.2	93.6	82.6	13.7
94	Alexander County, North Carolina	72	70.7	79.2	55.4
95	Catawba County, North Carolina	72	73.7	43.9	52.3
96	Polk County, Tennessee	71.9	78.8	87.8	39.8
97	Chatham County, North Carolina	71.8	66.4	21.9	91.2
98	Greenville County, South Carolina	71.8	83.1	19.3	76.8
99	Cocke County, Tennessee	71.8	69.3	76.4	11.7
100	Laurel County, Kentucky	71.7	75.4	71.6	30.4

Data: U.S. Census ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS. Scores are 0-100 (higher is better).