Love Snow? Head to These 10 Serene U.S. Cities This Winter

Predictably, snowfall in the United States varies hugely from one region and state to the next, with Alaska (around one-third of which lies inside the Arctic Circle) typically crowned the snowiest state of all. 

It’s certainly true that Alaskan winters are long and snowy (Thompson Pass, Alaska, set the record in 1955, when a staggering 10 feet of snow fell in 48 hours), and much of the state sees heavy snowfall throughout the wintertime. But by some metrics, Alaska actually ranks somewhat lower than some of the United States’ other snowy states, proving that statistics like these are not always the whole story.

So when it comes to seeking out the perfect snowy winter paradise, where are America’s snowiest cities? The following list is based on the most recent NOAA climate data, limiting the figures to towns and cities with a population of at least 1,000 people, and allowing for only one town per state. 

1. Valdez, Alaska
2. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
3. Caribou, Maine
4. Syracuse, New York
5. Lander, Wyoming
6. Flagstaff, Arizona
7. Duluth, Minnesota
8. Erie, Pennsylvania
9. Burlington, Vermont
10. International Falls, Minnesota

Valdez, Alaska

Home to a little under 4,000 people, the city of Valdez on Alaska’s Prince William Sound is America’s snowiest, with an average annual snowfall of 279.1 inches (around 71 inches of which falls in December alone). 

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Michigan is home to several of America’s snowiest places, including the cities of Muskegon (78 inches) and Alpena (75.7 inches). Snowiest of all, though, is the city of Sault Ste. Marie, which records an average of 119.3 inches of snow every year. 

Caribou, Maine

The most northeastern city in the entire United States, Caribou has a yearly climate of extremes, swinging from mild summers to cold, snowy winters—totalling an average of 114.2 inches of snow each year. 

Syracuse, New York

New York is one of America’s snowiest states, with Buffalo recording 92 inches each year and Rochester recording 88 inches. Snowiest of all, however, is Syracuse, which records an average of 112.1 inches of snow every year. 

Lander, Wyoming

96.5 inches of snow are recorded each year in the city of Lander in central Wyoming—at least partly due to the city standing over 5,300 ft above sea level. The nearby city of Casper, Wyoming, records a similarly snowy 78.2 inches per year,  while Sheridan, located midway between Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore, records 73 inches.

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Flagstaff, Arizona

The county seat of the state’s Coconino County, Flagstaff in the north of Arizona, records 87.9 inches of snow every year. 

Duluth, Minnesota

The port city of Duluth on Lake Superior, the snowiest city in Minnesota, is one of many places across the United States affected by a phenomenon called lake-effect snow—where cold air blows across a relatively warm body of water, producing vast amounts of snowy precipitation. Duluth receives 83.8 inches of snow every year. 

Erie, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s snowiest city, Erie records an average of 79.6 inches of snow each year. Just like Duluth before it, Pennsylvania is also affected by lake-effect snow, given its position on the south shore of its namesake Great Lake. 

Burlington, Vermont

Located in northern Vermont, not far from the Canadian border, Burlington is Vermont’s snowiest city. It receives 79.5 inches of snow on average every year, partly due to the lake-effect snowfall that blows in across nearby Lake Champlain. 

International Falls, Minnesota

Another of America’s snowiest states overall, Minnesota records an average of 43 inches of snow statewide—but the city of International Falls in the far north of the state records 64.7 inches, making it the state’s snowiest place.