After achieving the rank of the #1 dirtiest city in the country last year, New York City appears to have cleaned up slightly – it’s now only the 5th filthy city in the US. The Big Apple now ranks behind New Orleans, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Memphis. New York Post has more:
A survey conducted by Travel + Leisure magazine found that New York, ranked the dirtiest city in 2010, was only the fifth filthiest.
“Voters seem to champion New York because of its less-than-sterile vibe, and not in spite of it,” the magazine said.
Toppling New York at the top of the list this year is New Orleans, famous for its Bourbon Street rowdiness, Mardi Gras parades and all-night street parties.
Travel + Leisure compiled the list of the 20 dirtiest cities in the country in connection with its June issue and its annual America’s Favorite Cities survey.
And here are 2011’s 20 dirtiest cities in America, according to the Travel + Leisure poll:
- New Orleans
- Philadelphia
- Los Angeles
- Memphis, TN
- New York
- Baltimore
- Las Vegas
- Miami
- Atlanta
- Houston, TX
- San Juan, PR
- San Francisco
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Boston
- Washington, DC
- San Antonio, TX
- Orlando
- Chicago
- Kansas City
- Anchorage
Good job NYC – way to not be the most disgusting! Just kidding… a little. It’s based on a poll anyways, which is probably less scientifically valid, and the poll was run by Travel + Leisure which I imagine has a fairly consistent old/ white/ moneyed readership (?). Just throwing that out there. 
