10 Most Sustainable Cities To Live In

Sustainability is top of mind for many people, as 52% of Americans value environmental protection over economic growth, according to a Gallup poll. Luckily, some cities are making huge strides in becoming more environmentally conscious.

CoworkingCafe recently released a study that ranked the 10 most sustainable cities in the United States based on a variety of metrics. Here are the greenest cities, according to the study.

Also see the best cities to buy property in the next five years, according to real estate agents.

San Francisco ranked No. 1 on the list. A major reason was the amount of people who use a greener form of transportation. When commuting to work, 24% of residents take public transit, while 3.4% bike. San Francisco’s public transit is also sustainable, as 68% of it is eco-friendly. The city is aiming for an all-electric fleet by 2040. San Francisco also reports that 95% of its residents have access to recycling services — the highest percentage in the country.

The nation’s capital is making huge strides toward becoming more eco-friendly. The city has 1,964 green buildings and 25% of residents use green public transit to get to work. Additionally, the city has invested in the creation of sustainable spaces including parks and tree canopies. There are 13 “green” acres per 1,000 residents.

Portland has the highest amount of people biking to work, at 4.1%, and 30% of public transit options are eco-friendly. In addition, Portland has 673 LEED-certified structures. Portland’s access to green spaces also contributed to its high spot on the list, with 22 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.

Yes, Los Angeles is a car-based city, but a lot of those cars are electric. In fact, as a city, it has the most electric vehicle charging stations available. More than half of L.A.’s energy comes from renewable sources, and 95% of households have access to recycling programs. In the city, there are 751 eco-friendly structures.

Seattle gets 77% of its energy from renewables, mostly coming from hydropower. That’s a huge amount of green energy powering the city. Seattle also has great air quality, 568 EV charging stations and 664 green buildings.

Across the bay from San Francisco, Oakland is making green moves. The city is making more public buses electric and adding more bike lanes for commuters. There are also 161 green buildings in Oakland.

Transit is a big reason NYC is on the list, as 47% of commuters use subways and buses to get to work. You have your choice of 124 green working spaces if you need somewhere to do your remote job. The city also has 1,068 LEED-certified structures. New York is actively working to expand green spaces by adding rooftop gardens and urban parks.

San Diego gets 54% of its energy from renewable sources. And though the city’s public transit might not be as robust as other cities on the list, it has 757 EV charging stations, suggesting a substantial amount of drivers are going electric.

The residents of Chicago are seeing a lot more push toward sustainability. Chicago has 986 sustainable structures, and 21% of commuters use buses and trains. Recycling programs are abundant, with 74% of households having access. 

The Bay Area really shines on this list. There are a lot of EV drivers in San Jose, and the city has responded with 575 EV charging stations. San Jose gets more than half of its energy (54%) from renewable sources, and it has 235 green structures.