One of the biggest cities in the South has replaced a city on the East Coast as the country’s “dirtiest” city, according to a recent study by LawnStarter, a lawn care provider. The study looked at over 150 large cities in the U.S., considering factors like pollution, living conditions, infrastructure, and how satisfied residents are.
Houston was ranked as the dirtiest city due to its high pollution levels, a big problem with cockroaches, and greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial plants. The study used data from federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Census Bureau, Department of Energy, and Environmental Protection Agency.
Despite these issues, some people in Houston feel their city is cleaner compared to residents in 33 other big cities. Other cities in the top five dirtiest list include Newark, New Jersey (previously the dirtiest), San Bernardino, California, Detroit, Michigan, and Jersey City, New Jersey.
Several California cities like Bakersfield, Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino also ranked among the dirtiest. San Bernardino had the most unhappy residents about cleanliness for the second year in a row.
The study also pointed out water problems in the Southwest, made worse by drought and climate change. Las Vegas was named the dirtiest in this region, while Chandler, Arizona, was the cleanest.
Ohio struggles with cigarette litter, with Cleveland having the highest percentage of smokers (29.1%) and Columbus the lowest (22.1%). Columbus was also one of the cleaner cities overall.
On the positive side, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was named the cleanest city for the second year, with low pollution and satisfied residents. Other clean cities included Fremont, California; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Des Moines, Iowa.