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Rainiest City in Each U.S. State

December 09, 2021

What is the rainiest populated place in each state of the United States? We took a look at NOAA data from 1991–2020 to find the cities and towns that had the most precipitation in an average year. Here's what we found.

1. Ketchikan, Alaska

149 inches (379 cm)

This small city on the tip of the Alaska panhandle is the rainiest city in the United States which we have data for, receiving an average of more than 12 feet of rain each year.

2. Forks, Washington

121 inches (307 cm)

If you're a vampire who reacts to the sun, living in Forks, Washington would seem to be a great idea!

3. Hilo, Hawaii

121 inches (306 cm)

4. Tilamook, Oregon

88.9 inches (226 cm)

5. Highlands, North Carolina

87.2 inches (221 cm)

6. Niceville, Florida

71.3 inches (181 cm)

7. Thibodaux, Louisiana

71.3 inches (181 cm)

8. Helen, Georgia

71.3 inches (181 cm)

9. Brewton, Alabama

70.7 inches (179 cm)

10. Saucier, Mississippi

69.5 inches (176 cm)

11. Monteagle, Tennessee

67.1 inches (170 cm)

12. Nevada City, California

62.9 inches (160 cm)

It's not all sunshine and saguaro in California, as this small town on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains can testify.

13. Port Arthur, Texas

62.0 inches (157 cm)

Fun fact: Port Arthur got 26" of rain in a single day during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

14. Walhalla, South Carolina

60.6 inches (154 cm)

15. Mena, Arkansas

60.4 inches (153 cm)

16. Boonville, New York

57.5 inches (146 cm)

17. Murray, Kentucky

57.3 inches (145 cm)

18. Big Stone Gap, Virginia

55.6 inches (141 cm)

19. Idabel, Oklahoma

55.6 inches (141 cm)

While much of Oklahoma is quite dry, the southeastern part of the state gets a lot of rain.

20. Rockport, Maine

55.5 inches (141 cm)

21. Foster, Rhode Island

53.8 inches (137 cm)

22. Norfolk, Connecticut

53.5 inches (136 cm)

23. East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

52.7 inches (134 cm)

24. Rochester, Massachusetts

52.6 inches (134 cm)

25. Bayard, West Virginia

52.0 inches (132 cm)

26. Boonville, Indiana

51.0 inches (130 cm)

Boonville #2 on our list

27. Greenland, New Hampshire

50.9 inches (129 cm)

28. Marble Hilll, Missouri

50.8 inches (129 cm)

29. Chardon, Ohio

50.5 inches (128 cm)

30. Oakland, Maryland

50.1 inches (127 cm)

31. New Brunswick, New Jersey

49.5 inches (126 cm)

32. Carbondale, Illinois

48.4 inches (123 cm)

33. Lewes, Delaware

47.7 inches (121 cm)

34. Girard, Kansas

46.5 inches (118 cm)

45.3 inches (115 cm)

Note: Most of Alta's precipitation falls in the form of snow.

36. Woodstock, Vermont

43.7 inches (111 cm)

37. Pierce, Idaho

41.9 inches (107 cm)

38. Dowagiac, Michigan

41.2 inches (105 cm)

39. Lamoni, Iowa

40.3 inches (102 cm)

40. Reedsburg, Wisconsin

39.7 inches (101 cm)

41. Waseca, Minnesota

37.7 inches (95.7 cm)

42. Falls City, Nebraska

34.4 inches (87.4 cm)

43. Lead, South Dakota

31.4 inches (79.7 cm)

44. Casselton, North Dakota

24.0 inches (61.0 cm)

45. Steamboat Springs, Colorado

23.6 inches (60.0 cm)

46. Red Lodge, Montana

23.2 inches (59.0 cm)

47. Chama, New Mexico

22.1 inches (56.1 cm)

48. Flagstaff, Arizona

20.5 inches (53.7 cm)

Sitting at an elevation of 6910 feet, Flagstaff is considerably colder and wetter than most other parts of Arizona.

49. Sundance, Wyoming

19.7 inches (50.1 cm)

50. Elko, Nevada

10.0 inches (25.4 cm)

It's not much, but they're grateful for what they do get.