Geography & climate
rankings by state.
State size and long-term climate: land and total area, average temperature and annual precipitation.
State distributions: each mark is one state, from lowest to highest. Each row uses its own scale.
Coldest and hottest states
1991–2020 average · NOAA nClimDiv
Average rainfall by state
1991–2020 average · NOAA nClimDiv
Land area
2026 boundaries · Census Gazetteer
Largest states by area
2026 boundaries · Census Gazetteer
Size and climate are long-run facts
Land area excludes water; total area adds inland, coastal, Great Lakes and territorial water, which is why Michigan ranks far higher by total area than by land. Climate figures are NOAA’s 1991–2020 statewide averages, which blend every part of a state into one number. A state’s average temperature can be far from the conditions in its largest city, especially in states with mountains or long coastlines.
Use total area for “largest state” questions and land area for anything about how land is used or settled, such as population density. For climate, the 30-year averages describe typical conditions, not a particular year. Precipitation counts the water content of snow as well as rain.
Choose the measure that answers your question
| Measure | What it counts | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Average temperature | Average annual air temperature across the whole state, 1991–2020, in degrees Fahrenheit. The mean of the 12 monthly statewide averages. | 1991–2020 average · NOAA nClimDiv |
| Annual precipitation | Average annual precipitation across the whole state, 1991–2020, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. | 1991–2020 average · NOAA nClimDiv |
| Land area | Land area in square miles, excluding inland, coastal, Great Lakes and territorial water. | 2026 boundaries · Census Gazetteer |
| Total area | Land plus water area in square miles. Water includes inland water and the coastal, Great Lakes and territorial water the Census Bureau assigns to each state. | 2026 boundaries · Census Gazetteer |
The linked pages retain exact source precision for ranks, show true ties, and display uncertainty where it is available. The comparison tool lets you inspect selected states without changing their rank among the full 50-state universe. Shared comparisons preserve their data edition.
Each ranking covers all 50 states using a consistent source release. DC and Puerto Rico are labeled reference jurisdictions. Compare point estimates alongside margins of error; a rank is not a judgment about a state or its residents.