America is facing a convergence of challenges: rising immigration, deepening poverty, rampant drug addiction, and escalating pollution are stretching city resources thin. These pressing issues are culminating in a severe public health crisis, manifesting most visibly in the deteriorating state of cleanliness and safety in many urban areas. In this article, we look at the fifteen cities where this problem is most alarming.
Methodology
To rank the dirtiest U.S. cities, LawnStarter collected data on various factors and categorized them into Living Conditions, Pollution, Infrastructure, and Consumer Satisfaction, creating a comprehensive profile for 150 of the biggest U.S. cities.
- Living conditions: evaluated through a composite score, encompassing factors like population density, rates of overcrowded housing, and the absence of basic amenities such as kitchens and plumbing. The prevalence of mold, vermin, cockroaches, sewage issues, and homelessness per thousand residents contributed to the overall assessment.
- Pollution: determined by the median air quality index, water quality violations, and greenhouse gas emissions per capita. It also factors in the annual excess fuel consumption by auto commuters and the percentage of smokers in the population.
- Infrastructure: considers waste management and environmental sustainability. It includes landfill waste per capita, the effectiveness of state waste regulations, the availability of refuse and recycling services, the density of alternative-fuel stations, and the number of junk yards in the area.
- Consumer Satisfaction: reflects residents’ contentment with their surroundings. It measures the percentage of residents unhappy with the city’s cleanliness, pollution levels, garbage disposal services, and the quantity and quality of green spaces and parks.
#15 Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, grappling with pollution and discontent, finds itself amidst a cleanliness crisis and is ranked the 15th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 15/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 45.59
- Pollution Rank: 30
- Living Conditions Rank: 29
- Infrastructure Rank: 55
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 12
#14 Ontario, California
Ontario, CA ranks poorly for cleanliness and is ranked the 14th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 14/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 45.62
- Pollution Rank: 8
- Living Conditions Rank: 63
- Infrastructure Rank: 79
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 10
#13 Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, AL, faces significant cleanliness challenges, especially with pollution coming in at the 13 dirtiest cities in America.
- Overall Rank: 13/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 45.74
- Pollution Rank: 94
- Living Conditions Rank: 3
- Infrastructure Rank: 20
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 19
#12 Manhattan, New York
Manhattan faces ongoing challenges with cleaning up the city, making it the 12th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 12/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 46.19
- Pollution Rank: 102
- Living Conditions Rank: 1
- Infrastructure Rank: 62
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 13
#11 Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport struggles with cleanliness, placing it just outside the top ten dirtiest cities in the 11th spot.
- Overall Rank: 11/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 46.34
- Pollution Rank: 26
- Living Conditions Rank: 86
- Infrastructure Rank: 46
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 23
#10 Yonkers, New York
Yonkers opens up the top 10 and ranks as the 10th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 10/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 46.36
- Pollution Rank: 46
- Living Conditions Rank: 8
- Infrastructure Rank: 128
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 14
#9 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City faces significant sanitary issues, ranking 9th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 9/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 46.51
- Pollution Rank: 5
- Living Conditions Rank: 25
- Infrastructure Rank: 8
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 96
#8 Fresno, California
Fresno is dirtier than Los Angeles and Ontario and ranks as the 8th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 8/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 47.27
- Pollution Rank: 31
- Living Conditions Rank: 81
- Infrastructure Rank: 121
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 5
#7 San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio stands as the 7th dirtiest city, with notable concerns about the cleanliness of living there.
- Overall Rank: 7/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 47.43
- Pollution Rank: 34
- Living Conditions Rank: 12
- Infrastructure Rank: 29
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 36
#6 Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield faces significant challenges with filthy conditions, contributing to its position as the 6th dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 6/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 47.95
- Pollution Rank: 27
- Living Conditions Rank: 69
- Infrastructure Rank: 122
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 7
#5 Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City ranks as the fifth dirtiest city in America and a challenging city to keep clean living conditions.
- Overall Rank: 5/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 48.11
- Pollution Rank: 50
- Living Conditions Rank: 2
- Infrastructure Rank: 110
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 15
#4 Detroit, Michigan
Detroit faces considerable cleanliness challenges, positioning it as the fourth dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 4/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 48.3
- Pollution Rank: 9
- Living Conditions Rank: 35
- Infrastructure Rank: 89
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 4
#3 San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, grapplings with high pollution and is the 3rd dirties city in America.
- Overall Rank: 3/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 51.58
- Pollution Rank: 1
- Living Conditions Rank: 56
- Infrastructure Rank: 131
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 1
#2 Newark, New Jersey
Newark joins Jersey City and stands as the second dirtiest city in America.
- Overall Rank: 2/150 (1 = Dirtiest)
- Overall Score: 55.25
- Pollution Rank: 14
- Living Conditions Rank: 5
- Infrastructure Rank: 97
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 3
#1 Houston, Texas
Houston claims the top spot as the dirtiest city in America, grappling with controversial Colony Ridge development north of Houston as a haven for illegal immigrants and significant problems.
- Overall Rank: 1st dirtiest
- Overall Score: 56.02
- Pollution Rank: 3
- Living Conditions Rank: 4
- Infrastructure Rank: 12
- Consumer Satisfaction Rank: 34
Jenny Kim
Jenny Kim is the Energy & Sustainability Director at Green Building Elements where she is responsible with helping make solar power more accessible and affordable to anyone that wants to take advantage of the many benefits of solar energy. Jenny holds a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech where she paid her way through college as a top-performing inside sales representative for SolarCity.
