These are America’s greenest cities: Here’s what sets them apart

Cities across the U.S. are stepping up sustainability efforts as more Americans prioritize environmental protection and seek cleaner, healthier places to live, according to a new WalletHub study.

WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 28 indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions per capita, water quality and green job opportunities, to determine which communities are leading the nation in "green" living.

About 58% of Americans believe protecting the environment should take priority over economic growth, according to a recent Gallup poll cited by WalletHub. The report said investments in clean energy, recycling programs and urban agriculture can benefit the environment, public health and the economy.

What they're saying:

"There are plenty of things that individuals can do to adopt a green lifestyle, from recycling to sharing rides to installing solar panels on their homes." Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said. "However, living in one of the greenest cities can make it even easier to care for the environment, due to sustainable laws and policies, access to locally-grown produce and infrastructure that allows residents to use vehicles less often. The greenest cities also are better for your health due to superior air and water quality."

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Here are the greenest cities

Dig deeper:

Oakland, CA

Oakland ranks as the greenest city in America, with the country’s second-lowest greenhouse gas emissions and best air quality. It also has low light pollution, allowing residents to better see the night sky.

More than 12% of Oakland is designated as parkland. The city also offers bike-sharing, numerous bike lanes and paths, community gardens, farmers’ markets and a growing number of green job opportunities.

San Jose, CA

San Jose ranks as the second-greenest city in the country, with the fifth-highest number of solar installations per capita. More than half of the city’s electricity comes from renewable sources.

The city also has the country’s fourth-lowest Urban Heat Island Effect Index, meaning its temperatures are closer to those of surrounding less-developed areas. San Jose also bans plastic bags, offers bike-sharing and supports initiatives promoting renewable energy.

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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco ranks as the third-greenest city in America, leading the country in community-supported agriculture groups and community garden sites per capita. It also has the fourth-most farmers’ markets per capita.

More than half of the city’s electricity comes from renewable sources. San Francisco also ranks highly for alternative-fuel stations and solar installations, while residents have the nation’s ninth-lowest daily water consumption and are among the least likely to drive alone to work.

Methodolgy:

WalletHub ranked the 100 most populated U.S. cities across four categories: environment, transportation, energy sources, and lifestyle and policy.

The analysis used 28 metrics, with each city receiving a score of up to 100 points. Higher scores reflected greener practices and policies. Some population-based metrics used the square root of each city’s population to account for minor population differences.

WalletHub did not include recycling access or the amount of waste recycled because comparable city-level data was unavailable. The organization calculated each city’s weighted average score and ranked the cities based on the results. The analysis focused on each city proper and excluded surrounding communities in the broader metropolitan area.

Lifestyle