State rankings

Frost Lines by State

Alaska has the highest Frost Line Average Depth (100 in), followed by Minnesota (80 in) and North Dakota (75 in). District of Columbia has the lowest (4 in).

EnvironmentGeography49 states · 1 metricUpdated Apr 1, 2025Original page
2 sources
Frost Line Average DepthBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
49 of 51 states
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Frost Line Average Depth

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

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All 49 ranked

Highest first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
32 in
Middle half 15 in – 48 in
Average
34.18 in
49 states
Highest
100 in
Alaska
Lowest
4 in
District of Columbia

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

49 states · # = rank by Frost Line Average Depth
#
1Alaska100 in
2Minnesota80 in
3North Dakota75 in
4Maine74 in
5Wisconsin65 in
6South Dakota64 in
7Montana61 in
8New Hampshire60 in
8Vermont60 in
10Iowa58 in
11Wyoming56 in
12New York50 in
13Nebraska48 in
14Pennsylvania44 in
14Colorado44 in
16Michigan42 in
17Rhode Island38 in
18Illinois36 in
18New Jersey36 in
18Indiana36 in
18Connecticut36 in
22Missouri33 in
23Ohio32 in
23Massachusetts32 in
23Kansas32 in
23West Virginia32 in
23Delaware32 in
28Idaho31 in
29Maryland30 in
29Utah30 in
31Washington24 in
32Nevada23 in
33Oklahoma20 in
34Virginia18 in
34Oregon18 in
34New Mexico18 in
37Kentucky15 in
38Arkansas14 in
39Tennessee12 in
40Texas10 in
40North Carolina10 in
40Arizona10 in
43Mississippi8 in
44Alabama6 in
45California5 in
45Georgia5 in
47South Carolina4 in
47Louisiana4 in
47District of Columbia4 in

What correlates with Frost Line Average Depth?

Pearson r against 2,098 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Frost Line Average Depth tend to score higher on these

  1. Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
    r = +0.92 · very strong · n = 47
    Plot
  2. Average Days with Accumulated Snow 1 or More Inches Deep 1980-2010Snowiest States
    r = +0.90 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  3. Average Annual Snowfall 1980-2010Snowiest States
    r = +0.81 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  4. Mean Annual Snowfall 1971-2000Best Weather by State
    r = +0.81 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  5. Average Annual Snow DaysStates With No Snow
    r = +0.79 · very strong · n = 41
    Plot
  6. Annual SnowfallSnowiest States
    r = +0.78 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Frost Line Average Depth tend to score lower on these

  1. Average January Temperature (°F)Climate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
    r = −0.96 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  2. Average Temperature Celsius 1971-2000Best Weather by State
    r = −0.91 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  3. Average Temperature Fahrenheit 1971-2000Best Weather by State
    r = −0.91 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  4. Average Temperature (°F)Climate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
    r = −0.90 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  5. Average High TemperatureAverage Temperatures by State
    r = −0.90 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot
  6. Average Overall Temperature 1901-2000Coldest States in the US
    r = −0.90 · very strong · n = 48
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Frost Line Average Depth?
Alaska has the highest Frost Line Average Depth, at 100 in, followed by Minnesota (80 in) and North Dakota (75 in).
Which state has the lowest Frost Line Average Depth?
District of Columbia has the lowest Frost Line Average Depth, at 4 in.
What is the median Frost Line Average Depth across US states?
The median is 32 in across the 49 US states with data.
Where does this frost lines by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Frost Lines By State - Nimble Freelancer; Frost Line Penetration Map In The US - Hammerpedia.