The 20 Worst Places to Live if you Have Arthritis in The U.S.
People who suffer from the pain and discomfort of arthritis can improve their symptoms by avoiding certain climates. Research has shown that the climate of a location does have an impact on persons with moderate to severe arthritis pain.
Changes in weather, cold, rain, snow, and extreme changes in the barometric pressure all impact the joints and they can actually make it harder to manage the symptoms.
Exercise can help to limber the joints and keep pain at bay, but when it’s hard to get outside for a brisk walk, you lose that option in addition to the pummeling you take from foul weather. Here are the 20 worst places to live in the United States if you have arthritis.
20. Duluth, Minnesota
World Atlas provides a list of the coldest areas in the US that can potentially trigger increased arthritis pain. They start with Duluth, Minnesota. This city is ranked as the fifth coldest city in the entire United States.
The continental climate of the state of Minnesota makes it prone to extremely cold winters. The near proximity to the Great Lakes means that lake effect snow is a frequent feature of winters there. Blowing snow and below zero temperatures keep you stuck indoors and make your joints ache worse if you have arthritis.
19. St.Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is the 7th coldest city in the United States. It’s not much different than Duluth when it comes to frigid winters with frequent snowstorms.
The ups and downs of barometric pressure with each new storm system that moves through make it tough to keep on top of arthritis symptoms. The city has even been known to have a frosty morning or two in the summertime. This city isn’t recommended for anyone with joint disease.
18. Marquette, Michigan
World Atlas also includes Marquette in its list of the coldest cities in the US. This city is situated on the shores of Lake Superior. The winters here are frigid, reaching temperatures as low as -34 degrees Fahrenheit, with lake effect snowstorms.
The winters are also long, keeping you indoors more than you’re out. In Marquette, it’s hard for people with arthritis to shovel all of the snow that falls because of the pain that the cold weather causes.
17. Huron, South Dakota
Huron is another city to avoid if you live with arthritis. It has been ranked as the coldest city in the southern part of the state. The temperatures have been known to break records for being the coldest during the wintertime.
Summers aren’t long and when they’re over, you must deal with frigid temperatures and the challenge of managing arthritis symptoms.
16. Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is another North Dakota city that made the Atlas list. It’s included in the top 20 because it has been distinguished as the coldest city in the Continental United States. Temperatures become frigidly cold because there aren’t many bodies of water to moderate temperatures nearby.
It’s a dry cold that plunges to life-threatening levels. The landscape supports some of the nastiest and coldest winter weather imaginable. The temps have been recorded all the way down to negative 43 degrees F. The average low temps are negative 3.1 in Grand Forks.
15. Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is another city in the US that records extremely cold temperatures during the wintertime. This was highlighted in the popular film “Fargo,”. It’s considered to be the 3rd coldest city in the US. There are far better places to choose to live if you suffer from arthritis.
14. Aberdeen, South Dakota
Aberdeen is ranked as the 6th coldest city in the nation. Winters here are long and hard. Residents can’t get out to do much outside. People with arthritis suffer greatly when the erratic South Dakota weather takes the temperatures up and down, but mostly down.
The average temperature in Aberdeen during the winter is 1.5 Fahrenheit.
13. Miami, Florida
Current Results looks at the worst cities for arthritis from a different angle than just cold. Drops in barometric pressure and severe storms are also weather conditions that can make living with arthritis even more difficult.
They advise us of the cities in the United States that experience the most storms with unstable weather that can worsen arthritis. They begin with Miami, Florida, the city with the most hurricanes. In Miami, it’s not uncommon to have several severe weather systems move through during the year, but hurricane season can be the worst.
While the warm temperatures feel good on sore joints, you will know when a major storm is approaching. Sudden pressure changes send twinges throughout the affected joints.
Miami has had more hurricanes in its history of an H3 to H5, which is the top of the scale of severity, than any other large city in the country. The dampness is another factor that makes it bad for arthritis sufferers. The humidity can make it feel like you’re in a permanent sauna. It’s best to find a city that has more stable weather patterns and no so much changeability.
12. Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city that averages 83 days out of the year with moist weather in the form of thunderstorms. Although it’s one of the best places you can be if you enjoy watching electrical storms, your body will soon be predicting the weather for you.
Thunderstorms feature unstable weather conditions that can get violent at times. It’s not the wind that will make your joints ache, but rather the swift changes in pressure as the major storm systems come rolling across the area.
People who live in Tampa with arthritis have a built-in barometer that signals them when the pressure is dropping and there’s a storm on its way. It’s an uncomfortable way to get your local weather predictions.
11. Orlando, Florida
Orlando averages 81.8 days per year of unstable and sometimes violent weather. It’s not a lot different than Tampa when it comes to thunderstorms, sometimes severe, and barometric pressure drops. It’s not a good idea to move to Orlando unless your arthritis condition is mild.
This city ranks up there with Tampa and Miami when it comes to radical changes in barometric pressure and lots of rainfall.
10. Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a city that frequently becomes a highlight on weather channels. If you don’t like digging out of heavy snowfall from a single day dump, then it’s best to avoid this city.
Buffalo is a city that is known for being on the receiving end of the most severe snowstorms in the United States. Usually, frigid temperatures are associated with their harsh winters as well. This isn’t the best city for people with arthritis to live in.
9. Rochester, New York
Rochester has its fair share of severe snowstorms every winter. Several major storms roll through this area in the winter months and they dump so much snow that it takes a long time to dig out. If you have arthritis, it’s going to make your joints ache, and you’ll be in worse shape after shoveling snow in freezing temperatures.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is similar to Rochester in the severity of its winter snowstorms. This city can be downright inhospitable in the wintertime. It’s known for collecting several inches in a single day, and sometimes even feet of snow.
When a major snowstorm rolls in, the barometric pressure drops so you know what’s coming by the aches in your joints. It’s better to find a more weather-friendly city to live in if you suffer from arthritis.
7. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston has seen its fair share of nasty winter storms. It’s even worse than Cleveland in most years. It’s not uncommon to have several major snowstorms come through each winter, dropping at least five inches or more of snow.
Boston gets really cold as well. The snow tends to hang around for a while. People with arthritis have a much harder time getting their driveways and sidewalks cleared.
6. Lake Charles, Louisiana
Wunderground finishes out our list of the worst places to live with more of the stormiest pressure dropping cities in the United States. They start with Lake Charles, Louisiana.
This state has made news around the world because of its disastrous encounters with major hurricanes and slews of other strong storm systems. The barometric pressure is like a yo-yo at certain times of the year.
Lake Charles gets its fair amount of moisture, along with periodic flooding. None of these things are good for people who suffer from arthritis discomfort.
5. Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola gets an average of 78 days per year with intense weather systems moving through. Most of them are thunderstorms, but some are a bit milder and just drench the residents with rain.
When the sun comes out and the ground heats after a rainstorm, the humidity rises to insane levels. If you have arthritis all of the moisture and frequent drops in the air pressure will take their toll over time. This isn’t the best city for people struggling with arthritis because there are too many weather fluctuations.
4. Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is known for getting some of the most horrific weather in the southern part of the United States. They average 70 days of stormy weather.
This has been known to include an occasional hurricane remnant or tropical depression that messes with the barometric pressure. This is one of the worst cities in the US to live in if you suffer from the pain and discomfort of arthritis.
3. Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee steps up to the plate with even more days of foul weather. On average, they see 83 days of stormy weather. As the winds begin to blow the barometric pressure drops and you get that uncomfortable feeling in your joints once again.
Your body will let you know that something is brewing before the storm even arrives. It’s a miserable way to get your weather report, but the intense moisture and pressure changes just come too often for comfort for people with arthritis.
It’s best to spend a few days visiting Tallahassee, then move on to a dryer city without so many pressure fluctuations. Your joints will thank you for making your permanent home somewhere else.
2. Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is a lovely place to visit if you can manage to find a window in between storms. This city averages a total of 92 days of stormy weather each year. this is far too my days to try to manage the twinges and aches and pains that signal a change in the air pressure.
You’re also left with a humid mess after the storm has passed and the earth begins to get hot. Not only does it feel like a sauna, but the moisture feels like it’s creeping into your joints. It’s difficult for people with arthritis to manage their symptoms with so many stormy days.
1. Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the stormiest city in the nation with an average of 100 days of stormy weather per year. This makes it one of the worst places to live if you have arthritis.
While the warmer weather may help to relieve some of the symptoms of pain, it doesn’t even come close to compensating for the effects of the high humidity, the rain, and the frequent rises and falls in the barometric pressure.
You will have far more bad days than good ones if you live in Lakeland with arthritis. It’s without a doubt, the worst place you can live in the southern part of America. If you like warm weather, it’s best to find a place that offers dry heat without many weather systems moving through.
You can also read:
- The 20 Best Places to Live with Low Humidity in the U.S.
- The 20 Best Places to Live if you Have Arthritis
- The 20 Worst Cities for Allergies in the U.S.
- The 20 Best Places to Live with Allergies in The U.S.
