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Texas Counties With the Mildest Summers to Retire
Ranked by days per year above 95°F · NOAA climate normals · Data last verified 2026-06-10
See mild-weather counties ranked for YOUR priorities — free tool →Summer heat is the number-one climate worry for Texas retirees, and the honest measure isn't the average temperature — it's how many days a year climb above 95°F, because that's what you actually feel. It ranges from about 80 days in the Panhandle to 130 in the Rio Grande Valley — more than a month of difference. Here are all 30 counties, coolest summers first.
All 30 counties, fewest scorching days first
| # | County | Major city | 95°F+ days/yr | Avg temp | Humidity | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Potter County | Amarillo | 80 | 58°F | 58% | 20″ |
| 2 | Randall County | Canyon | 82 | 58°F | 57% | 21″ |
| 3 | Lubbock County | Lubbock | 85 | 61°F | 52% | 19″ |
| 4 | Galveston County | Galveston | 88 | 71°F | 78% | 46″ |
| 5 | Collin County | Plano | 95 | 66°F | 62% | 40″ |
| 6 | Nueces County | Corpus Christi | 95 | 73°F | 75% | 32″ |
| 7 | Smith County | Tyler | 95 | 66°F | 69% | 47″ |
| 8 | Jefferson County | Beaumont | 95 | 71°F | 76% | 60″ |
| 9 | Denton County | Denton | 98 | 66°F | 61% | 38″ |
| 10 | Tarrant County | Fort Worth | 100 | 67°F | 60% | 37″ |
| 11 | Brazoria County | Pearland | 100 | 71°F | 76% | 50″ |
| 12 | Harris County | Houston | 100 | 71°F | 75% | 49″ |
| 13 | Montgomery County | Conroe | 102 | 69°F | 74% | 48″ |
| 14 | Dallas County | Dallas | 102 | 67°F | 61% | 39″ |
| 15 | McLennan County | Waco | 103 | 68°F | 65% | 36″ |
| 16 | Fort Bend County | Sugar Land | 105 | 70°F | 72% | 52″ |
| 17 | Bell County | Killeen | 105 | 68°F | 66% | 35″ |
| 18 | Tom Green County | San Angelo | 105 | 66°F | 55% | 20″ |
| 19 | Williamson County | Round Rock | 108 | 68°F | 64% | 35″ |
| 20 | Brazos County | College Station | 108 | 69°F | 68% | 40″ |
| 21 | Travis County | Austin | 110 | 69°F | 65% | 34″ |
| 22 | Comal County | New Braunfels | 110 | 69°F | 67% | 32″ |
| 23 | Midland County | Midland | 110 | 65°F | 48% | 14″ |
| 24 | Hays County | San Marcos | 112 | 68°F | 65% | 33″ |
| 25 | Bexar County | San Antonio | 115 | 70°F | 66% | 30″ |
| 26 | Ector County | Odessa | 115 | 65°F | 47% | 13″ |
| 27 | El Paso County | El Paso | 120 | 65°F | 35% | 9″ |
| 28 | Webb County | Laredo | 125 | 74°F | 58% | 20″ |
| 29 | Cameron County | Brownsville | 125 | 75°F | 72% | 27″ |
| 30 | Hidalgo County | McAllen | 130 | 74°F | 70% | 23″ |
Extreme-heat days = days per year reaching 95°F or above (NOAA normals, 1991–2020). Humidity and rainfall shown because "fewer hot days" doesn't always mean "more comfortable."
What "mildest" really means
Two very different places top this list. The Panhandle (Amarillo, Lubbock, Canyon) has the fewest scorching days by a wide margin — but its elevation also brings real winters, with freezes and the occasional blizzard, so you're trading summer heat for winter cold. The immediate coast (Galveston) gets fewer 95°F+ days because the sea breeze caps the afternoon highs, but the humidity is relentless. There's no cool corner of Texas; there's only which trade-off suits you. If summer heat is your dealbreaker, weigh it against winters, humidity, and everything else at once.
Weigh heat against taxes, healthcare & cost — run the free tool →Common Questions
Which part of Texas has the mildest summers?
By the number of days above 95°F, the Panhandle and high plains are mildest — Potter County (Amarillo) sees only about 80 such days a year, versus ~125–130 in the Rio Grande Valley. The catch: the Panhandle trades milder summers for genuinely cold winters, so "mild" cuts both ways.
Where in Texas is it not too hot to retire?
No part of Texas is cool in summer, but the difference between regions is a full month or more of 95°F+ days. The Panhandle (Amarillo, Lubbock, Canyon) and the immediate Gulf Coast (Galveston) are the mildest for heat; Central Texas and the Hill Country sit in the middle (~110 days); the Rio Grande Valley and far west are hottest.
Does the coast feel cooler than inland Texas?
The coast (Galveston, Corpus Christi) has fewer extreme-heat days because the sea breeze caps the peaks — but humidity runs high, so it can feel just as oppressive. "Fewer 95°F+ days" and "comfortable" aren't the same thing; weigh humidity too.
Related
Cheapest counties to retire → · Best counties for healthcare → · Retiring in Texas: full guide → · All 30 county profiles →