Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco have emerged as the three greenest cities in the United States in 2026, in a new ranking released by WalletHub on September 30.
Washington, DC, ranked fourth, while Honolulu, Hawaii, secured fifth place in WalletHub’s Greenest Cities in America 2026 report. The study compared 100 of the largest US cities across 28 indicators covering environmental quality, transportation, energy sources, and lifestyle and policy.
The ranking assessed cities on factors such as greenhouse gas emissions per capita, air quality, green space, renewable electricity, water consumption, bicycle infrastructure, farmers’ markets and green job opportunities. Each indicator was graded on a 100-point scale, with higher scores reflecting greener practices and policies.
According to WalletHub, around 58% of Americans believe environmental protection should take priority over economic growth. The report highlighted how investments in clean energy, sustainable transport and urban agriculture can benefit the environment and public health while creating economic opportunities.
1. Oakland, California
Oakland ranked first overall, supported by its low greenhouse gas emissions, air quality and efforts to promote sustainable living.
The city recorded the second-lowest greenhouse gas emissions per capita and the best air quality among the 100 cities assessed. It also has one of the lowest levels of light pollution in the country.
More than 12% of Oakland's area is designated as parkland, giving residents access to green spaces. However, the city ranked 30th among the 100 cities for its share of green space.
Oakland also ranked 20th for bicycle lanes and paths per capita and 24th for green job openings per capita. Its bike-sharing programme, community gardens and farmers’ markets further contribute to its sustainability profile.
2. San Jose, California
San Jose secured second place, with renewable electricity and solar power installations among its key strengths.
More than 50% of the city's electricity comes from renewable sources, the fifth-highest share among the cities assessed. San Jose also recorded the fifth-highest number of solar photovoltaic installations per capita.
The city ranked fourth-lowest on the Urban Heat Island Effect Index, which measures the intensity of the temperature difference between developed urban areas and their less-developed surroundings.
San Jose also has a plastic bag ban, a bike-sharing programme and several local initiatives promoting green energy use.
3. San Francisco, California
San Francisco ranked third overall, with locally grown food, renewable electricity and water conservation contributing to its position.
The city leads the country in community-supported agriculture groups and community garden sites per capita. It also ranked fourth for farmers’ markets per capita.
More than 50% of San Francisco's electricity comes from renewable sources, placing it fifth nationally. The city ranked 13th for alternative-fuel stations per capita and 20th for solar panel installations per capita.
San Francisco also recorded the ninth-lowest daily water consumption per capita. It ranked fourth for the lowest share of commuters who drive alone to work, reflecting the role of carpooling and other commuting options in reducing reliance on individual cars.
4. Washington, DC
Washington, DC, ranked fourth overall and featured prominently in the transportation rankings.
It placed third among the cities with the lowest share of commuters who drive, behind New York and Jersey City. This indicator measures commuters who do not travel alone by car, including those who carpool, walk, cycle or use public transportation.
The District's position in the overall ranking reflects the combined assessment of environmental, transportation, energy and lifestyle factors rather than performance on a single indicator.
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu rounded out the top five greenest cities in America.
It ranked first for farmers’ markets per capita, ahead of Miami, San Jose, San Francisco and New York. Access to locally grown produce and farmers’ markets was among the lifestyle and policy indicators considered in the study.
Honolulu's overall position was determined by its weighted performance across all 28 indicators, rather than its farmers’ market ranking alone.
Which US cities rank highest for green space?
The green-space rankings showed a different set of leaders from the overall list. Anchorage, Alaska; Fremont, California; and Scottsdale, Arizona, tied for first place for the highest share of green space. Chesapeake, Virginia, ranked fourth, followed by New Orleans, Louisiana.
At the other end of the list, Hialeah, Florida, ranked 98th, followed by Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 97th; Fresno, California, at 96th; Mesa, Arizona, at 95th; and Laredo, Texas, at 94th.
Oakland, despite leading the overall sustainability ranking, placed 30th for green space, demonstrating that the overall results depend on a city's performance across multiple categories.
Which cities have the lowest share of commuters who drive?
New York ranked first for the lowest share of commuters who drive, followed by Jersey City, Washington, DC, San Francisco and Boston.
Corpus Christi, Texas, ranked 100th on this indicator, followed by Laredo at 99th, Bakersfield, California, at 98th, Wichita, Kansas, at 97th, and Toledo, Ohio, at 96th.
Transportation accounted for 25% of the overall score. The share of commuters who drive alone received double weight within this category, contributing approximately 4.55 points to the total score.
Portland and Minneapolis lead bicycle rankings
Portland, Oregon, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, tied for first place for Bicycle Score. Chicago, San Francisco and Denver shared third place.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, ranked 100th, followed by Nashville, Tennessee, at 99th. Charlotte, North Carolina, and Birmingham, Alabama, tied at 97th, while Greensboro, North Carolina, ranked 96th.
How 100 US cities are ranked
WalletHub evaluated 100 of the most populated US cities using 28 indicators across four categories. The final ranking was calculated using a weighted average of the scores for each metric.
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The environment category included nine indicators, such as air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, green space, water quality, daily water consumption, green hotels, population density and light pollution.
Energy sources accounted for 20% of the overall score. The share of electricity from renewable sources carried double weight within this category, contributing 10 points, while solar installations per capita and smart-energy policies and initiatives each contributed five points.
Lifestyle and policy accounted for 15% of the total score, with six indicators covering farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture programmes, certified organic farms, community gardens, green job opportunities, green-energy initiatives and plastic bag bans.
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale.