This Is the Greenest City in America

San Diego takes the top spot in WalletHub's ranking of environmentally conscious metropolises
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 6, 2022 1:15 PM CDT
This Is the Greenest City in America
Stock photo of San Diego.   (Getty Images/f11photo)

With what seems like a never-ending series of headlines tied to the effects of global warming on Earth, many of us may be thinking ahead on what we can do next to help save our planet. Where we choose to live could also prove meaningful, with some cities around the US making the environment a top priority. WalletHub looked at the 100 biggest cities around the country to see which ones promote the "greenest" lifestyle, using more than two dozen metrics in four main categories: environment, including such factors as air and water quality, light pollution levels, and green space; transportation (e.g., walking and biking scores and alternative fueling stations per capita); energy sources; and lifestyle and policy, which looks at everything from a city's certified organic farms and community gardens to its plastic bag bans. San Diego topped the list as the greenest city, while Gilbert, Ariz., came in last. Read on to see the other cities in the top and bottom 10:

Greenest Cities

  1. San Diego
  2. Portland, Ore. (No. 1 in "Lifestyle & Policy" category)
  3. Honolulu
  4. Fremont, Calif. (No. 1 in "Environment" category)
  5. Washington, DC
  6. Oakland, Calif.
  7. Seattle
  8. San Francisco
  9. Irvine, Calif.
  10. San Jose, Calif. (No. 1 in "Energy Sources" category)

Least Green Cities
  1. Oklahoma City
  2. Greensboro, NC
  3. Houston
  4. Newark, NJ
  5. Chandler, Ariz.
  6. Hiealeah, Fla.
  7. Baton Rouge, La. (last in "Energy Sources" category)
  8. Mesa, Ariz.
  9. Glendale, Ariz. (last in "Environment" category)
  10. Gilbert, Ariz.
Check out WalletHub's list to see how other cities ranked. (This is the healthiest city in the US.)

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