Winter Wonderlands: 2025’s Snowiest Counties

A family plays in the snow with a sled in a wintry forest

Where in the U.S. can snow pile up the most during the winter months?

Following World Snow Day on Jan. 19, Lawn Love ranked 2025’s Snowiest Counties. 

We compared 258 counties based on 3 categories. More specifically, we looked at historical snowfall records — including annual snowfall, 1-day, and 3-day records. We also considered temperature and demand for snow removal services, among 7 total metrics.

Put on your snowsuit and explore our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the counties, see our methodology.

In this article

County rankings

See how each county fared in our ranking:

Top 5 close up

Check out the slideshow below for highlights on each of our top 5 snowiest counties.

White-capped mountains contrast with a clear blue sky in Coos County, New Hampshire
No. 1: Coos County, New Hampshire | Overall score: 74.41

Average Annual Historical Snowfall: 281.4 in. (23.5 ft.) | Rank: 1
Record Historical Snowfall in a Single Day: 49.3 in. (4.1 ft.) | Rank: 4
Record Historical Snowfall Over 3 Days: 91.1 in. (7.6 ft.) | Rank: 3
Average Historical Number of Extremely Cold Days: 238 | Rank: 5 (TIE)
Snow Removal Services and Equipment: 1 | Rank: 162

Local tips: Plan an epic skiing or snowboarding trip at Wildcat Mountain.

Photo credit: Harvey Barrison / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
Snow-capped mountains stand out in the distance behind a forest of spruce trees in Copper River Census Area, Alaska
No. 2: Copper River Census Area, Alaska | Overall score: 54.03

Average Annual Historical Snowfall: 51 in. (4.25 ft.) | Rank: 50
Record Historical Snowfall in a Single Day: 57 in. (4.75 ft.) | Rank: 1
Record Historical Snowfall Over 3 Days: 92 in. (7.7 ft.) | Rank: 2
Average Historical Annual Temperature: 26.7 degrees | Rank: 6
Average Historical Number of Extremely Cold Days: 238 | Rank: 5 (TIE)

Local tips: Visit Wrangell-St. Elias — the nation’s biggest national park

Note that regional services are limited in the wintertime. Be extra careful when planning winter hikes in snowy regions like The Last Frontier. 

Photo credit: Islander61 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
A person ice skates toward a misty snowcapped mountain towering in the distance in Matanuska-Sustina Borough, Alaska
No. 3: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska | Overall score: 53.78

Average Annual Historical Snowfall: 120.9 in. (10.1 ft.) | Rank: 3
Record Historical Snowfall in a Single Day: 42 in. (3.5 ft.) | Rank: 13
Record Historical Snowfall Over 3 Days: 60 in. (5 ft.) | Rank: 20
Average Historical Annual Temperature: 29.8 degrees | Rank: 8
Snow Removal Services and Equipment: 31 | Rank: 40

Local tips: Snowshoe, cross-country ski, or dogsled through the scenic Mat-Su Valley. 

Explore Denali State Park or hike across the Matanuska Glacier.

Stop by the local Reindeer Farm and visit with reindeer, moose, yak, and other furry friends. 

Photo credit: Paxson Woelber / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
Clouds block the snowy mountain peaks across a body of water in Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska
No. 4: Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska | Overall score: 52.02

Average Annual Historical Snowfall: 162.1 in. (13.5 ft.) | Rank: 2
Record Historical Snowfall in a Single Day: 30 in. (2.5 ft.) | Rank: 45
Record Historical Snowfall Over 3 Days: 40.8 in. (3.4 ft.) | Rank: 54
Average Historical Annual Temperature: 34.6 degrees | Rank: 12
Average Historical Number of Extremely Cold Days: 157 | Rank: 56

Local tips: Feeling adventurous? Go see Hubbard Glacier, a 76-mile-long tidewater glacier (the longest in the world). 

The county is also home to Malaspina Glacier, which spans over 1 million acres. 

Photo credit: Werner Bayer / Flickr / CC0 1.0
A scenic view of Anchorage in the wintertime
No. 5: Anchorage Municipality, Alaska | Overall score: 50.78

Average Annual Historical Snowfall: 74 in. (6.2 ft.) | Rank: 22
Record Historical Snowfall in a Single Day: 44 in. (3.7 ft.) | Rank: 10
Record Historical Snowfall Over 3 Days: 60 in. (5 ft.) | Rank: 20
Average Historical Annual Temperature: 32.8 degrees | Rank: 10
Snow Removal Services and Equipment: 79 | Rank: 6

Local tips: Spend a weekend enjoying scenic backcountry views between Anchorage and Fairbanks from the Aurora Winter Train. Or, hop on a fat bike to spin across the snowy trails.

This year marks the 90th annual Fur Rendezvous — a festival celebrating the region’s rich culture. One big festival highlight is the Alaska State Snow Sculpture Championship

Photo credit: Felipe Mahecha / Adobe Stock / License

Key insights

16 frigid states like Alaska, Maine, and Montana, finish in the snowiest half of our ranking. 6 counties, including Onondaga County, New York (No. 11) — home to Syracuse — receive over 9 feet of snow each year on average. 

The Great Basin Desert — a temperate desert with high elevation — encompasses Salt Lake County, Utah (No. 19), and Nevada counties Washoe (No. 28), White Pine (No. 56), and Elko (No. 62). These mountainous regions flurry to the top with the right altitude in some places for the possibility of snow throughout all seasons.

15 states — such as Florida, Texas, and Georgia — defrost in the bottom half, with 53 counties getting an inch or less of snow on average each year. 25 of these counties receive an average of 0 inches of snow per year.

Explore beyond the tip of the iceberg with more frosty insights below.

Expert take

Shoveling snow can be dangerous — it leads to hundreds of deaths and about 11,500 injuries every year.

We turned to a panel of experts to learn some safe shoveling practices among other snowy weather suggestions. Read their insights below.

  1. What are your top 3 tips for clearing snow safely?
  2. What, if anything, can homeowners do ahead of a snowstorm to make cleanup easier?
  3. Who should invest in a snowblower?
  4. What are 3 ways snow can damage your home or property?
  5. When is the best time to shovel snow?
headshot of Natalie Simpson
Natalie Simpson
Professor of Operations Management & Strategy and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs
headshot of Eric Lui
Eric M. Lui
Meredith Professor
headshot of Natalie Simpson
Natalie Simpson
Professor of Operations Management & Strategy and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs
University at Buffalo School of Management

What are your top three tips for clearing snow safely?

1. Know your own physical limitations and respect them. Clearing snow is intense work. Even if you consider yourself to be in good shape, take breaks, go inside, take off your winter weather gear, and deliberately rest. If you have a lot of snow to clear, commit to this more than once.

2. Know the current conditions and respect them. For example, “wet” snow looks largely the same as lighter-density snow, but you’ll be moving 2-3 times the weight with each shovel-full. You also can’t see air temperature and wind chill when you look out the window, but these factors can create life-threatening conditions at the extreme.

3. Be particularly careful working at the end of your driveway — especially if visibility is already poor because of falling snow or darkness. Plowed snow banks make the road narrower while hiding you from an approaching driver, and the car will require a longer braking distance in bad weather. Consider wearing a high-visibility vest or other clothing with your usual winter coat.

What, if anything, can homeowners do ahead of a snowstorm to make cleanup easier?

It’s important to buy at least one snow shovel and a bucket of salt before the bad weather starts. In the fall, move these tools to an easily accessible storage spot within your house or garage, where they can live through the winter when not in use.

Who should invest in a snowblower?

Snowblowers are the most attractive option when you have a long driveway, as they make easy work of it. However, snowblowers need shelter and they need to be thoughtfully maintained — plus they aren’t as easy to steer as lawnmowers.

The more property you have to clear, the more attractive an investment they become, despite their disadvantages. Also, the more property you have, the less you worry about where the snowblower is throwing your snow, which isn’t always easy to control.

What are three ways snow can damage your home or property?

1. If your roof isn’t well insulated the snow will melt against it and you can get “ice dams” where meltwater runs down to the colder edge of the roof and freezes again. More meltwater then builds up behind the dam, where it soaks shingles and seeps into your house.

2. Ice dams and the icicles that hang from them can bend gutters or strip them off your house.

3. If it snows enough, the weight of snow can collapse a roof. Some roof types and trusses fail faster than others, so you can get your home inspected to determine if it is more vulnerable and if it can be reinforced to hold up under greater weight. You can also buy a roof rake, for pulling snow off your roof, to avoid that heavy buildup.

When is the best time to shovel snow?

I’ve heard that it’s better to shovel in the morning, when the snow is fluffiest. Regardless of the time, I try to shovel as it snows, letting a few inches accumulate before I easily clear it away — even though I know I’ll be back out in a few hours to do the same thing again and again.

headshot of Eric Lui
Eric M. Lui
Meredith Professor
Syracuse University, Civil and Environmental Engineering

What are your top three tips for clearing snow safely?

  1. Wear warm clothes, snow boots with good traction, and waterproof gloves.
  2. Do not overexert oneself. Do the snow clearing in stages if needed.
  3. Use a snow thrower and/or blower, or hire someone to do the work.

What, if anything, can homeowners do ahead of a snowstorm to make cleanup easier?

Check that all snow-clearing equipment is in good condition.

If a gas-powered snowblower is used, make sure there is enough gas, and if an electric-powered snowblower is used, make sure it is fully charged — or have backup batteries ready.

Who should invest in a snowblower?

Anyone who can afford one.

What are three ways snow can damage your home or property?

1. Ice dams forming on the edges of sloped roofs can:

  • Cause damage to gutters and shingles.
  • Cause roof leaks.
  • Lead to the formation of mold and mildew and [resulting] damage to ceilings, walls, and insulation.

2. Falling icicles can be dangerous.

3. If the roof is not properly designed for snow load, excessive buildup of snow could cause roof collapses.

When is the best time to shovel snow?

When there is enough light (natural or artificial) and when the conditions are safe.

Behind the ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Snowiest Counties. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 3 categories: Snowfall, Climate, and Snow Removal and Preparedness. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.

For each of the 258 U.S. counties with available data, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table. 

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each county to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A county’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 258).

Notes:

  • The “Least Snowy” among individual factors may not be No. 258 due to ties.
  • Some location names (Census Area, Borough, or Municipality) are considered counties or their equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • This ranking is based on available data, and may not reflect snowfall records broken in counties that were excluded from this ranking.
  • Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska (previously No. 1), was divided into the Copper River Census Area (No. 2) and Petersburg Borough.
  • Shasta County, California, was not included in this year’s ranking.

Sources

Data Axle, Google Ads, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Cold Hands, Warm Snowblower: Winter Lawn Care

Snow is pretty to look at, but can be a challenge for homeowners to manage on their own. Winter can be extra tough for lawns. Keep your grass healthy with help from our guides below. 

Snow Removal

Winter Lawn Damage Prevention and Recovery

Many lawn care professionals undertake snow removal projects to stay busy during the winter season. 

Bundle up and let Lawn Love connect you with the best snow removal crews near you while you stay cozy inside. 

Media resources

Quotes from Lawn Love Editor-in-Chief, Sharon Sullivan

Main photo credit: Studio Romantic / Adobe Stock / License

Sav Maive

Sav Maive is a writer and director based in San Antonio. Sav is a graduate from the University of Virginia and is a loving cat and plant mom.