10 Sweatiest Cities in America
- Amy Pritchett
- Updated: May 2023
For many people around the country, summer means not just heat, but worse — sweat. And since we love the heat, we have compiled a ranking of the sweatiest cities in America by comparing the 200 largest metro areas.
Interestingly, not all hot places are created equal: Sweatiness is actually more related to humidity and population density than straight-up temperature.
That’s why the majority of the 10 sweatiest cities in America are located in the more humid pockets of the country — and if you happen to live in one of those pockets? You are probably stronger than the rest of us.
Map
The 10 Sweatiest Cities in America
Hottest Cities in the US to Make You Perspire
1. Orlando, Florida
- Average Summer Temperature: 83.5 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 75 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.4 months
- Relative Humidity: 78%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 97 per year
- Exercise Rate: 50.6%
- Population Density: 2,642 people per square mile
2. Corpus Christi, Texas
- Average Summer Temperature: 86 °F, with 93 °F (high) and 79 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 3.9 months
- Relative Humidity: 76%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 98.4 per year
- Exercise Rate: 43.4%
- Population Density: 2,050 people per square mile
3. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Average Summer Temperature: 85 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 78°F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.3 months
- Relative Humidity: 78%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 84.4 per year
- Exercise Rate: 51.2%
- Population Density: 2,480 people per square mile
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Average Summer Temperature: 85 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 78 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.1 months
- Relative Humidity: 79%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 77.7 per year
- Exercise Rate: 52.5%
- Population Density: 2,287 people per square mile
5. Tallahassee, Florida
- Average Summer Temperature: 82 °F, with 93 °F (high) and 71 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.4 months
- Relative Humidity: 77%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 85.6 per year
- Exercise Rate: 52.6%
- Population Density: 1,988 people per square mile
6. Houston, Texas
- Average Summer Temperature: 85 °F, with 93 °F (high) and 77 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 3.6 months
- Relative Humidity: 74%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 99.6 per year
- Exercise Rate: 52.3%
- Population Density: 3632 people per square mile
7. Montgomery, Alabama
- Average Summer Temperature: 82 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 72 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.1 months
- Relative Humidity: 73%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 118 per year
- Exercise Rate: 45.7%
- Population Density: 1,235 people per square mile
8. Cape Coral, Florida
- Average Summer Temperature: 83.5 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 75 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.6 months
- Relative Humidity: 73%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 111.3 per year
- Exercise Rate: 54.1%
- Population Density: 1978 people per square mile
9. Laredo, Texas
- Average Summer Temperature: 89.5 °F, with 100 °F (high) and 79 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4.1 months
- Relative Humidity: 52%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 159.8 per year
- Population Density: 2,529 people per square mile
10. Jacksonville, Florida
- Average Summer Temperature: 83.5 °F, with 92 °F (high) and 75 °F (low)
- Summer Season: 4 months
- Relative Humidity: 78%
- Days Above 90 Degrees: 62.1 per year
- Exercise Rate: 50.9%
- Population Density: 1,256 people per square mile
Methodology
In order to determine the sweatiest cities in the nation, MyDatingAdviser.com compared 200 of the largest metro areas across three key dimensions: 1) Weather, 2) Sweat Factors and 3) Cooling Off.
We evaluated each of those dimensions using 12 relevant metrics of perspiration friendliness. These are listed below with their corresponding weights. The metrics were combined to create a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for perspiration.
We determined each location’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered the largest metro areas in the USA.
Weather – Total Points: 80
- Average Summer Temperature in July: Full Weight (~20 Points)
- Length of Summer Season: Full Weight (~20 Points)
- Average Relative Humidity in July (%): Full Weight (~20 Points)
- Days Above 90 Degrees: Full Weight (~20 Points)
Sweat factors- Total Points: 10
- The popularity of Public Transportation:: Full Weight (~2 Points)
- Exercise Rate (%): Full Weight (~2 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of residents who say they exercise regularly. - Events (#): Full Weight (~2 Points)
- Population Density: Full Weight (~2 Points)
Cooling Off – Total Points: 10
- Amount of Shade: Full Weight (~2 Points)
Note: This metric measures the amount of tree coverage by examining the percentage of parkland in the metro area. - Bodies of Water (%): Full Weight (~2 Points)
- Average Wind Speed: Full Weight (~2 Points)
- New Single Family Homes with Air Conditioning (%): Full Weight (~2 Points)
Sources: County Health Rankings, U.S. Census Bureau, National Oceanic, and Atmospheric Association, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, American Housing Survey