NJ is often called the “armpit of America,” yet this is untrue. The Garden State has beautiful forests, vast farms, mountainous regions, and miles of clean beaches. Hikers, sunbathers, city inhabitants, and anglers can all enjoy this area.
New Jersey is pleasant and gorgeous, despite being the punchline of other states’ jokes. Despite its benefits, the state has some of the dirtiest cities in America. However, the findings do not suggest those cities are livable or unattractive. They offer much more than analytics.
According to the 2023 Dirtiest Cities in America report, this is New Jersey’s filthiest city.
Which New Jersey city is filthiest?
Newark is New Jersey’s dirtiest city, per LawnStarter. This depends on pollution, living circumstances, infrastructure, and consumer satisfaction.
Researchers ranked 154 U.S. communities based on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, bug infestations, landfill garbage, and resident dissatisfaction to objectively rank them. In 2022, Newark was the dirtiest city in the country, but it now ranks second behind Houston, TX.
Newark pollution
Researchers measured the city’s median air quality index, water quality infractions, greenhouse gas emissions per capita, annual excess fuel usage, and smoking rate. Some facts weighed more in the score. The researchers used the air quality index more than excess fuel use. Newark was among the top 15 worst polluters, ranking 14 out of 154 cities. Pollution from the Lower Passaic River has persisted for over 150 years.
The EPA states:
“A century of industrialization in the Passaic River Watershed has polluted the Lower Passaic. The river’s sediments contain dioxin, mercury, PCBs, and other harmful chemicals from manufacturing. Pollution and disease-causing organisms from combined sewer overflows have degraded the river’s water quality.”
Fishing and crabbing advisories began in 1984. Poor land-use management has deteriorated the river’s shorelines, exposing vulnerable, mainly immigrant populations, to flooding and blocking waterfront access.
Fortunately, these situations can be improved. Lower Passaic Urban Waters Partnership is a “collaboration of federal and state agencies, municipalities, and community-based organizations advancing cleanup, restoration, and stewardship of the Lower Passaic River and equitable, sustainable development along its banks.”
Newark Living Conditions
Researchers examined each city’s population density, congestion, homelessness, and lack of housing basics like kitchens, plumbing, and sewage disposals to calculate its living circumstances value. Mold, mice, rats, and cockroaches were also considered. Pest infestations ranked highest.
Lower rankings mean worse living conditions. Newark was 5th out of 154 cities. Jersey City, another Garden State city, ranked second worst.
Newark infrastructure
Researchers measured landfill garbage, which weighed most in each city’s infrastructure ranking. Next, they examined state waste rules (Newark’s grade was heavily influenced by New Jersey’s trash regulations). Final considerations included garbage and recycling collectors, alternative fuel stations, and junkyards. Newark’s infrastructure ranking was 97, making it the least important issue.
Consumer Satisfaction in Newark
Researchers focused on the percentage of residents who regarded each city as unclean and untidy to measure consumer satisfaction. Dissatisfaction with pollution, rubbish disposal, flora, and parks (which can harm animals) was also examined. Consumer satisfaction in Newark was 3, ranking third worst.
Overall Newark Ranking
The survey found Newark to be New Jersey’s filthiest and the second-dirtiest city in America. The metrics above culminated in this result. It scored 55.25 overall. Houston, TX, the dirtiest city on the list, scored 56.02, while San Bernardino, CA, the third dirtiest, scored 51.58.