America's dirtiest cities of 2024 have been revealed, with a Texas town that also has the "biggest cockroach problem" claiming the top spot, according to a new study.
Houston Texas came out on top as the "dirtiest" city in the United States, unseating last year's dirtiest city, Newark, New Jersey, according to a new study by Lawnstarter reviewed by Fox News.
Newark didn't go too far, though, as it only slipped to the overall rank of No. 2.
Houston's overall rank was determined in a study that compared 152 US cities in the categories of pollution, living conditions, infrastructure, and customer satisfaction.
When it comes to individual statistics, The study ranked Houston as the third most polluted, coming in behind San Bernardino, California, and Peoria, Arizona. The data also places Houston in third place for the worst greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial facilities. The study also noted that Houston the nations "biggest cockroach problem," according to Lawnstarter.
Rounding up the overall top 10 are San Bernardino; Detroit; Jersey City, New Jersey; Bakersfield, California; San Antonio; Fresno, California; Oklahoma City; and Yonkers, New York. New York City came in at No. 12.
LawnStarter said the study is really meant for people to start looking beyond garbage, pests, and poor waste management, as it highlights that the negative effects of living in these dirty cities can actually be a lot worse than people realize.
Health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, that can stem from air pollution are potential risks to residents.
"Here's the bottom line: Dirty cities aren't just an eyesore; they also damage our bodies and our wallets," LawnStarter says.
