America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities

A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.

1 minute read

October 28, 2024, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Gaslamp Quarter

San Diego, California ranks first for sustainability among major U.S. cities. | Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

An analysis of the 100 largest U.S. cities reveals the “greenest” urban centers based on 28 metrics including air and water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, transportation patterns and walkability, green job opportunities, and more.

As Samanda Dorger notes in The Street, “Many U.S. cities have recognized the economic advantages of sustainability efforts such as clean energy, recycling, composting, urban agriculture and clean transportation.”

According to the list, the greenest city in the United States is San Diego. California cities take six of the top 10 spots, with San Francisco ranking fourth, San Jose fifth, and the smaller communities of Fremont and Irvine rounding out the list.

Other top green cities are Washington, D.C., Honolulu, Seattle, and Portland. “Cities that ranked in the bottom five were: Glendale, Ariz., Hialeah Fla., Houston, Mesa, Ariz. and Baton Rouge, La.”

Friday, October 25, 2024 in The Street

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