NYC is not one of the dirtiest cities in the US: Study
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – New York City may have a reputation for its sidewalk trash and rats, but the data doesn't back it up, according to a new study.
A study by HouseFresh found that New York City is actually the 17th dirtiest in the country – way below cities like Los Angeles, Boston and even Buffalo.
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The study considered 311 complaints from the last year related to garbage, waste and recycling, then ranked cities based on complaints per 100,000 people.
In New York City, Roosevelt Island appears to be the cleanest neighborhood, with the least number of filth complaints. Crown Heights clocked 28 times more trash complaints.
Baltimore took the No. 1 spot as America's dirtiest city, followed by Sacramento and Charlotte. Los Angeles came in No. 4, followed by Memphis, Boston and San Antonio.
New York City is still dirtier than Miami, San Francisco and Austin, according to HouseFresh. New York City Sanitation officials said the study is proof of a 'trash revolution' paying off.
'New York City's Trash Revolution is making the city cleaner, AND rat sightings are down roughly 25 percent this past December and January compared to the same period 12 months prior,' Sanitation officials said.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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