Simplify the following text for a Grade 11 native English-speaking person.
Original: The average summer high temperature is the hottest of any area in the United States after Death Valley , which is the hottest of any major city in the United States , and approaches those of cities such as Riyadh and Baghdad .
Simplified: The average summer high temperature is among the hottest of any populated area in the United States and approaches those of cities such as Riyadh and Baghdad .