The Most Sustainable Cities in America 

With 52% of Americans valuing their city’s environment over its economy, priorities are shifting, Coworking Café developed the its Coworking Café Sustainability Index (CSI), a ranking of American cities based on everything from sustainable energy to commuting. Now the results are in, and San Francisco was crowned the greenest city in America in 2024, per the study. San Francisco is one of five California cities in the top 10, with Washington, D.C. coming in second; and Portland, Oregon narrowly edging out Los Angeles for the third spot.

Coworking Café’s CSI examines 12 key sustainability metrics, including green energy, air quality, and eco-friendly buildings. California’s edge came in its strong environmental policies and access to renewable energy resources, whereas the Northeast’s Washington, D.C., and New York City landed in the top 10 based on green buildings, public transit, and widespread recycling initiatives.

Coworking Caféʼs Top 10 Sustainable Cities

1. San Francisco, California (62.5 points): San Francisco scores high due to its commuting: it has the second-highest percentage of green transportation (23.9%) as well as the second highest of biking commuters (3.4%). Plus, 68% of San Francisco’s public transport is eco-friendly (they’re aiming for an all-electric fleet by 2040). They also have an impressive 95% penetration rate for recycling access, the highest in the top 10, with 65% of people using the service. (Note that there was a five-way tie for 95% recycling access.)
2. Washington, D.C. (56.5 points): The nation’s capital is also the capitol of green buildings, with a total of 1,964, the highest on this list. The federal government has a mandate to electrify all new buildings, and is encouraging other cities to follow its lead. It has the third-highest percentage of commuters using public transport and a similar ranking for biking commuters, resulting in almost 30% of its workforce using eco-friendly transportation. With more than 13 acres of green spaces per 1,000 residents, and 95% of households having access to recycling, Coworking calls D.C. a “sustainability stronghold.”
3. Portland, Oregon (53.6 points): With the highest percentage of biking commuters (4.1%) and the third-best air quality index (41 AQI), the City of Roses takes third on the list (having 30% of its public transport options being green doesn’t hurt). Portland’s sustainability glows with 673 LEED-certified buildings as well as 22 acres of green space for every 1,000 residents.
4. Los Angeles (53.4 points): With the highest number of electric vehicle charging stations (approximately 1,600) and the second highest number of households with recycling access (95%), the City of Angels almost made third place. Los Angeles has 54% of its energy coming from eco-friendly sources, 751 green buildings, and several ambitious programs to reduce carbon emissions.
5. Seattle (53.3 points): It’s no wonder the Emerald City’s air quality ranks among the best (45 AQI) with an impressive 77% of their energy coming from green power (mostly hydropower), the highest percentage of eco-friendly energy on this list. With approximately 568 charging stations and 664 green buildings, plus recycling access at 74% with a 68% participation rate, Seattle squeaks into the top five.
6. Oakland, California (52.3 points): The second-highest number of households with recycling access (95%) with a 65% participation rate lands the bright side of the Bay to the number six spot.
7. New York City (51.8 points): The Big Apple scores a trifecta, with the highest percentage of commuters using public transport (47.3%), second-highest number of green buildings (1,068), and third-highest number of homes with recycling access (89%).
8. San Diego, California (51 points): The last Californian city on the list earns its spot with the second-highest number of charging stations (approximately 760) and the second highest number of homes with recycling access (95%).
9. Chicago (49.2 points): The Windy City blows into the number nine spot with 68% of its energy coming from eco-friendly sources (the second-highest percentage on the list, after Seattle), and 986 sustainable structures.
10. San Jose (47.1 points): Rounding out the top 10, Teal Town scores with the second-highest number of homes with recycling access (95%) and approximately 580 charging stations.

And then there are the ones to watch, the U.S. cities that had previously struggled with sustainability struggles and are making strides at going green. They include two California towns (Long Beach and Sacramento), Philadelphia, Boston, and Denver.

For the study, Coworking Café examined U.S. cities with at least 100,000 residents, breaking down the metrics into categories for sustainable energy and recycling (30% of total score), green spaces and infrastructure (25%), transportation infrastructure (20%), environmental quality (15%), and commuting (10%).

Click here for a full recap of Coworking Café’s most sustainable U.S. cities.