04-05-2025
Carpet cleaning company says Portland is America's cleanest metro area
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A new study claims Portland is far cleaner than other major metro areas in the nation.
Carpet cleaning company has ranked 35 of the biggest cities in the U.S. based on cleanliness, by weighing seven factors: population density, rodents, cockroaches, vandalism, litter, air quality and tap water quality.
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Based on these metrics, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro region was the only area to earn an 'A+' grade for cleanliness — making it the No. 1 city overall. Researchers praised the metro area for its waste management services.
'The area has a decades-long history of investing in robust recycling and composting programs, which reduce landfill waste and keep streets free of excess trash,' Oxi Fresh said. 'By contrast, cities that lack effective waste management programs often see garbage accumulate in public spaces, leading to pollution and attracting rodents.'
The carpet cleaning company used data from sources like the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Housing Survey to compile the report.
Here is how the Rose City fared in each category, according to Oxi Fresh.
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Population density: 375 residents per square mile
Rodents: About 9.1% of housing units reported signs of rodents in the past year.
Cockroaches: About 0.9% of housing units reported signs of cockroaches in the past year.
Vandalism: About 90.3% of homeowners reported there were no damaged or abandoned buildings within a half-block radius.
Litter: About 86.2% of homeowners reported there was no litter or trash found outside within a half-block radius.
Air quality: There were 280 days in 2024 where the Air Quality Index qualified as 'good' for all pollutants.
Tap water quality: About 6.8 contaminants detected in drinking water exceeded the Environmental Working Group's health guidelines.
Fellow Pacific Northwest city Seattle trailed behind Portland, as the second-cleanest metro area. Rochester, N.Y., the Detroit area and Minnesota's twin cities rounded out the top five, while Washington, D.C., Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York landed in the bottom five.
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