The 5 Dirtiest Cities In Florida

So do you live in one of the dirtiest cities in Florida? LawnStarter revealed its list of the dirtiest cities in the United States. They looked at 150 cities across the country and nine Florida cities made the top 150. They come up with this list by looking at pollution, living conditions, infrastructure, and customer satisfaction. The first Florida city on the list comes in at #18, and that is Hollywood, Florida.

Tampa and St. Petersburg made the list here in the Tampa Bay area. Tampa comes in at #38 and St. Pete comes in at #61.

At least there aren’t any Florida cities in the top 10. Now I know that cities can be dirty, but at least the two big cities in the Tampa Bay area aren’t some of the dirtiest in the United States.

The dirtiest city in America is Houston, Texas. Newark, New Jersey comes in after Houston. Rounding out the top five are San Bernardino, California, Detroit, Michigan, and Jersey City, New Jersey. You might think that New York City would be one of the top cities. It is but isn’t even in the top 10 and comes in at #12.

There are nine Florida cities that made the list. Below you can find the dirtiest cities in Florida. The number is the ranking in the United States.

It happens every year, usually multiple Florida cities rank in the top 10 for best places to live in the U.S.. U.S. News and World Report just dropped the rankings for 2024-2025 and only 1 Florida city not only made the top 10 but was ranked #1 for the best place to live in the U.S.

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings have been popular for many years. It's a very trusted source because of all the research they do to come up with these rankings. Their mission is to help their readers make informed decisions on where they want to settle down.

The cities in the rankings are evaluated based on data from U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. News' own internal resources. The data was then categorized into 4 different factors based on American's preferences. Those factors are: quality of life, desirability, job market, and value. Now, I won't bore you with the mathematics of it all, but if you want to learn more about how U.S. News and World Report calculated these cities scores, click here for the full methodology.

It's not the first time this Florida city has made this list. But it is the first time Naples was named #1 for best places to live in the U.S.. Naples is known to be more of a retirement community, and even with threats from hurricanes, it's still not stopping people from moving here in droves. U.S. News and World Report says "the greater Naples area supplies pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping."

Naples wasn't the only Florida city to make the rankings. But it WAS the only Florida city to crack the top 10.

We already told you that Naples was the named the #1 city to live in the U.S., even if most of its residents only live there during the winter months.  

Sarasota has a unique charm compared to its other coastal cities. It has a very vibrant art scene, beautiful beaches, great food and restaurants. Sarasota was also considered a "retirement community" but that is changing as more young professionals make it their own up-and-coming city.

White sand beaches is the main reason why Pensacola is so desirable. U.S. News and World Report says "Year round, the city’s vibrant nightlife is balanced by an abundance of family-friendly activities and a community atmosphere."

Finally Tampa made the list! We're used to seeing Tampa higher up in these rankings, and definitely thought it would be higher based on all the people moving here just in the past year alone. The cost of living in Tampa is slightly higher than the national average, and the housing market has become so competitive in recent years. But out of all the cities in Florida, we're happy to call Tampa home.  

Situated between Tampa and Miami on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers is a growing city. If you're an outdoor enthusiast who loves humidity, Fort Myers is the place for you. The have miles of freshwater and saltwater channels for boating and fishing; trails for biking, hiking and paddling; and golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools and shuffleboard courts. 

Florida's space coast is great for retirees, families, and young professionals. So we're pretty surprised to see it ranked at #49. The median monthly rent here is about $1,400 and you can even find homes for under $300,000.

Did you know Jacksonville is the largest metro area by land mass in the continental U.S? Jacksonville has also been listed in affordable Florida cities and one of the best places to start a career.

Orlando is so massive that it's broken up into 3 different areas: Downtown Orlando, Residential "City Beautiful" Orlando, and of course, theme park capital Orlando. The cost of housing in Orlando is close to the national median sale price, although like with many markets, home prices have soared here in recent years.