New York’s nit and grit has earned it the title of dirtiest city in America.
Travel & Leisure magazine looked at twenty cities, and our down and dirty town landed at the top of the list. New York came it at #5 on the list last year, but apparently didn’t do much to clean up its act.
Developments like the MTA’s initiative to remove trash cans from subway stations might seem like a contributing factor at first glance. But the MTA actually reports an increase in cleanliness at the first two stations from where the trash cans were removed.
Alas, there are plenty of other dirty little details that New Yorkers have come to accept: Rats, roaches, bed bugs, curb side trash and smog, just to name a few.
New Orleans, Baltimore and Los Angeles joined NYC toward the top of the list as dirty cities. Chicago was rated the cleanest of the twenty cities, followed closely by Anchorage and Phoenix.
This isn’t the first time NYC has earned itself an unfavorable title. Last year, Travel & Leisure named it the rudest city in the country, though that may have been a point of pride for some New Yorkers.
It’s not all bad, though. The magazine’s readers also ranked New York #1 for theater, stylish locals, and luxury stores.
