Best Places to Move to Avoid the Snow

Finding your place in one of the least snowy states

Not everyone wants to shovel snow during the winter, so you might wonder where to move to avoid it.

Let’s look at the snowfall levels for the 10 states with the lowest averages and explore some cities where winter weather is rare. 

 

What U.S. states have no snow?

Every state can experience icy precipitation, but some places are less likely than others. Check out these states that typically receive the least amount of winter weather annually and two towns in each that receive little to no snowfall.

1. Hawaii 

Hawaii’s tropical climate allows for beautiful beaches and year-round warm temperatures. The Aloha State’s yearly average is 0 inches of snow.  

• Hilo
  While rainfall reaches 126 inches yearly, snowfall averages 0 inches in Hilo. Despite the rain, Hilo typically has 175 sunny days each year. The city's tropical climate sees average temperatures between 63 and 81 degrees year-round. Located on Hawaii Island, Hilo has just over 44,000 residents and is the fourth-largest settlement in the state.
   
• Honolulu
  The tropical climate of Honolulu makes the capital city of Hawaii a perfect destination for tourists and new residents who love warm weather. The city of over 350,000 people (over 1 million in the metro area) is known for sunny days and year-round temperatures that range between 68 and 85 degrees. While it averages 0 inches of snow per year, be prepared for about 45 inches of rain annually.

Is it true that it snows in Hawaii? 

Hawaii is the only state with an average annual snowfall of zero inches, but the mountain peaks of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala can get up to 8 inches each winter! However, you won’t need a snow shovel in the residential areas of Hawaii. 

2. Florida

With the Sunshine State's tropical and subtropical climates, snow is extremely rare. Winters in Florida are mild, with an average of only 0.01 inches of snow annually.

• Jacksonville
  The Atlantic Coastal city of Jacksonville, Florida, usually has 221 sunny days yearly and no snow. Summer high temps hover around 90 degrees, and winter lows rarely drop below 44 degrees. The city of almost 1 million people has one of the largest urban park systems in the nation, making it a popular destination for tourists and golfers with credit to the PGA Tour headquarters in the nearby suburb of Ponte Vedra Beach.
   
• Key West
  Not only does Key West, Florida, average 0 inches of snow per year, but the city has no record of frost or sleet. The city is also an island — part of the Florida Keys — and is the southernmost city of the contiguous United States. Tourism is popular there, but over 26,000 people call Key West home year-round. Residents enjoy white sand beaches, gorgeous sunsets and snorkeling around the world’s third-largest coral reef near the island.

Is snow possible in Florida? 

Yes, snow is possible, but rare. The Florida Panhandle area, including Pensacola, is the first to have accumulation during infrequent snowy weather.  

3. Louisiana

The Bayou State’s location in the Deep South of the U.S. grants it a humid subtropical climate. The mild winters rarely have snow, especially in the southern portions of Louisiana. The state averages only 0.2 inches of snow each year.

• Baton Rouge
  Louisiana’s capital city has a rich history, and its Old State Capitol Building is rumored to be haunted. Baton Rouge's subtropical climate means hot and humid summers, mild winters, and 63 inches of rain annually. The city averages 0 inches of snow, and the average winter low rarely drops below 40 degrees. Baton Rouge has around 227,000 residents and 871,000 in the metro area.
   
• New Orleans
  Located on the Mississippi River Delta upstream from the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans is the most populous city in Louisiana, with around 384,000 residents. Devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans has been revitalized recently with significant infrastructure improvements in levees and drainage projects to protect the city. The subtropical climate of Southern Louisiana brings an average annual rainfall of 64 inches and 0 inches of snow. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 45 degrees.

Has there ever been a snowstorm in Louisiana? 

Winter storms affected the state in February 2021 when measurable snow and ice were reported statewide. 

4. Alabama

Sandwiched between Mississippi and Georgia, Alabama has milder winters. The Yellowhammer State’s humid subtropical climate produces frequent thunderstorms but low chances of snow, averaging only 0.57 inches annually. 

• Mobile
  As the location of the state’s only saltwater port, Mobile has always been key to Alabama's economic health. The city of 187,000 people and 412,000 in the metro has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot summers. Year-round temperatures range between 40 and 91 degrees. Mobile gets around 66 inches of rain annually and 0 inches of snow.
   
• Montgomery
  Alabama’s capital city has 201,000 residents and over 385,000 in the metro. Located beside the Alabama River, the city has a moderate climate. While winters can get chilly, with lows averaging 35 degrees, the yearly average for snow is 0 inches. Summer highs are around 91 degrees, and Mobile gets around 51 inches of rain annually. 

What Alabama city gets the most snow?

The small towns of Anderson and Lexington each get close to 3 inches of snow per year, the most in the state.

5. Mississippi

Located east of Alabama, Mississippi shares its humid subtropical climate with frequent storms and rare snowfall. The Magnolia State’s yearly average is only 0.71 inches of snow. 

• Bay Saint Louis
  Located on the Gulf of Mexico in Southern Mississippi, Bay Saint Louis (or Bay St. Louis) is a city of around 9,300 people. Its location makes it susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms, with an average of 64 inches of rain each year. The annual snowfall average is 0 degrees, and winter low temperatures rarely drop below 40 degrees.
   
• Gulfport
  As its name suggests, Gulfport is located on the Gulf of Mexico in Southern Mississippi. The city of 73,000 and 416,000 in the metro area has mild winters with lows averaging 42 degrees and an average of 0 inches of snow annually. The tropical climate makes the city prone to tropical storms, and it receives around 65 inches of rain per year.

What is the snowiest city in Mississippi?

The city of Horn Lake accumulates nearly 3 inches of snow annually, more than other cities in the state.

6. Georgia

Most of the Peach State has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and little to no chance of snow. Georgia is prone to tornadoes and thunderstorms, but the state’s annual snowfall average is only 0.76 inches.

• Bainbridge
  Bainbridge is a town of around 14,000 people located in Southwest Georgia. While it isn’t a coastal city, Bainbridge has mild winters, with low temperatures reaching 38 degrees and 0 inches of snow per year. The city does receive around 55 inches of rain throughout the year.
   
• Valdosta
  The Southcentral Georgia city of Valdosta has around 55,000 residents and 151,000 in the metro area. Home to Valdosta State University, the city’s average low temperature is 38 degrees, and it gets 0 inches of snow annually. Rain falls throughout the year, averaging 52 inches.

Does it snow in Atlanta?

Georgia’s state capital city, Atlanta, receives about 1 inch of snow yearly. 

7. Texas

Northern Texas can sometimes get cold and snowy, but snowfall is rare in the southern and coastal areas of the Lone Star State. Texas averages only 1.36 inches of snow per year.

• Austin 
  The capital city of Texas has around 975,000 residents and over 2.4 million in the metro. Located in Central Texas along the Colorado River, the city has mild winters with a low temperature averaging 38 degrees and 0 inches of snow annually. Austin gets around 35 inches of rain yearly and has over 228 sunny days. 
   
• Corpus Christi
  Known as the “Bird Capital of North America,” Corpus Christi is located on the southeastern coast of Texas. The bay is home to over 200 species of birds, drawing bird watchers from around the world to the area. The subtropical climate causes around 30 inches of rain per year, but the mild winter temps make snowfall a rare occurrence.

Which Texas cities have the most snow days?

The small town of Texline in Northwestern Texas averages over 20 snow days annually, accumulating 24 inches of snow. White Deer and Groom are other small Texas towns, each averaging 16 inches of snowfall per year and nearly 11 snow days.

8. South Carolina

Like many other states on this list, the Palmetto State has a humid subtropical climate. The southernmost coast of South Carolina rarely gets measurable snowfall, and the state averages only 1.5 inches each year.

• Beaufort
  Most of the tranquil city of Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, which is an interior Sea Island in South Carolina. The smaller town of just under 14,000 people gets around 48 inches of rain annually but 0 inches of snow. Winter lows in Beaufort rarely drop below 39 degrees.
   
• Charleston
  As the largest city in South Carolina, Charleston is home to just over 150,000 people. Its location on the Atlantic Coast allows for mild winters in the subtropical climate, with temperatures typically staying above 39 degrees. While annual snowfall is practically non-existent, residents can expect about 48 inches of rain per year. Charleston has a rich history and was America's fourth largest — but wealthiest — colonial city.

What areas of South Carolina have the coldest winters?

It’s often coldest in Northwestern South Carolina, in the inland cities, including Wade Hampton. Wade Hampton winters drop to 31 degrees and get around 3 inches of snow annually. 

9. California

Snow is almost unheard of in the Southern California coastal areas, which have a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. However, the Golden State as a whole has a yearly average of 3.76 inches of snow because of accumulation in the mountains and areas of Northern California.

• Los Angeles
  With nearly 4 million people living in the city limits, Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the second largest in the U.S. LA is celebrated for more than just movie stars: it’s known for year-round pleasant, sunny weather with temperatures ranging from 48 to 88 degrees. The Southern California city is located on the Pacific Coast and has a Mediterranean climate with no measurable snowfall annually.
   
• Sacramento
  Located in central California, Sacramento is the state capital, with just under 525,000 people within the city limits. Known as the “City of Trees,” Sacramento was the first city the Arbor Day Foundation designated with the title in 1978. The city has mild temperatures year-round, with winter low temperatures rarely dropping below 39 degrees. Annual rainfall in Sacramento is around 18 inches — mostly falling in the winter and spring — and snow is rare, with 0 measurable inches each year.

Does it snow in California?

Despite having a low snowfall average statewide, California receives a significant amount of snow per year, primarily in the mountains. The towns of Homewood, Tahoe City, Tahoma and Olympic Valley get almost 200 inches annually, and over 50 other cities receive over 75 inches each year.

10. Arkansas

Although it’s not a coastal state, Arkansas has a humid subtropical climate due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. The southern parts of the Natural State are less likely to receive snow, and the state’s yearly average is 4.04 inches.

• Crossett
  For small-town Southern hospitality, look no further than Crossett. The city of around 5,000 people (or 10,000 when combined with North Crossett and West Crossett) has a yearly average of less than 0.5 inches of snow. Crossett is in Southeast Arkansas and has a typical winter low of 31 degrees, just below freezing.
   
• El Dorado
  The small city of El Dorado is in Southcentral Arkansas and has a population of under 18,000. Its proximity to the Louisiana border brings mild winters with lows just under freezing at 31 degrees, like Crossett, and yearly snowfall of less than 1 inch. 

Where does it snow the most in Arkansas?

Areas in Northern Arkansas, near the Missouri border, typically get the most snowfall. Eureka Springs and Pea Ridge in Northwest Arkansas each average over 9 inches annually.

Other U.S. cities with no snowfall

If you would prefer a desert climate as you figure out where to live, check out these cities where flurries are rare.

Las Vegas, NV

Tourism is huge in “Sin City,” and so is sunshine. Las Vegas, Nevada, generally has 294 sunny days per year. The desert environment can drop below freezing in the winter, but the dry conditions leave average yearly snowfall at 0 inches and rainfall around 5 inches. You might be surprised to learn that Las Vegas is home to only around 640,000 residents within the city limits. With so many entertainment options available, the city gets approximately 3 million visitors per year.

Mesquite, NV

Mesquite is a small city of around 20,000 people and borders the Arizona State line. It’s only 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Located in the Mohave Desert, winters can get cold with low temperatures of 28 degrees, but the low humidity in the region makes precipitation rare. The city averages only 7 inches of rain annually and 0 inches of snow.

Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix is known as the “Valley of the Sun,” so it’s no surprise that snowfall is infrequent in the desert climate of Arizona’s capital and largest city. There have only been 8 reports of accumulations of 0.1 inches or more in the city since first recorded in the late 1800s. The town boasts an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, so it’s perfect if you don’t want icy weather while you enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, bicycling and horseback riding through the desert landscape. 

Tucson, AZ

The subtropical desert climate of Tucson, Arizona, means hot summers and mild winters for the city. Winters rarely drop below 40 degrees, and snow is rare, averaging 0 inches annually. Tucson is the second-largest city in the state, with nearly half a million residents, and it is home to the University of Arizona. The city is known for its annual cultural events like the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, the Tucson Festival of Books, the Tucson Folk Festival, and the Tucson Rodeo.

Planning a move to a warmer state?

U-Pack provides long-distance moving through our service centers in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Request a free online quote or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant.  

Do you live in a place with mild winters? Tell us about it in the comments!