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2026 ranking · 270 US cities

The greenest US cities in 2026, ranked by tree cover

Every US city of 100,000+ people, measured from satellite imagery over the same 1.2 mi (2 km) around its center — so the numbers compare like for like.

South Fulton, GA is the greenest large city in the United States, with 98.0% of the land within 1.2 mi (2 km) of its center under tree canopy. Cary, NC (74.0%) and Overland Park, KS (72.6%) follow.

At the other end, El Paso, TX has the least tree cover of the 270 cities ranked, at 1.0% — 5 of the ten least green cities are in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico or Utah, where desert climate, not only planning, keeps canopy low.

Updated · satellite imagery from 21 July 2026 to 21 September 2026

Cities ranked
270
Median tree cover
26.2%
Below a healthy canopy
151of 270 cities

The 10 greenest US cities

  1. #1South Fulton, GAGeorgia98.0%
  2. #2Cary, NCNorth Carolina74.0%
  3. #3Overland Park, KSKansas72.6%
  4. #4Lexington, KYKentucky67.6%
  5. #5Independence, MOMissouri67.1%
  6. #6League City, TXTexas66.8%
  7. #7Sandy Springs, GAGeorgia66.0%
  8. #8Lincoln, NENebraska65.6%
  9. #9Cedar Rapids, IAIowa65.4%
  10. #10Ann Arbor, MIMichigan63.1%

The 10 least green US cities

  1. #270El Paso, TXTexas1.0%
  2. #269Odessa, TXTexas1.1%
  3. #268Henderson, NVNevada1.4%
  4. #267Phoenix, AZArizona1.6%
  5. #266Surprise, AZArizona2.3%
  6. #265Las Vegas, NVNevada2.4%
  7. #264Midland, TXTexas2.9%
  8. #263El Cajon, CACalifornia2.9%
  9. #262Palmdale, CACalifornia3.3%
  10. #261Tempe, AZArizona3.4%

Full ranking: all 270 cities

Download the data (CSV)
Large US cities ranked by tree cover within 1.2 mi (2 km) of the city center, 2026
RankCityStateTree coverTrees neededPopulation
1South FultonGeorgia98.0%—112,003
2CaryNorth Carolina74.0%—182,659
3Overland ParkKansas72.6%—202,893
4LexingtonKentucky67.6%—329,437
5IndependenceMissouri67.1%—121,629
6League CityTexas66.8%—118,456
7Sandy SpringsGeorgia66.0%—105,505
8LincolnNebraska65.6%—300,619
9Cedar RapidsIowa65.4%—137,904
10Ann ArborMichigan63.1%—122,925
11WaterburyConnecticut61.9%—115,908
12NapervilleIllinois61.3%—153,124
13ElginIllinois59.6%—114,701
14AthensGeorgia59.0%—128,691
15ToledoOhio57.5%—265,638
16GainesvilleFlorida57.4%—148,720
17OlatheKansas57.2%—149,035
18Palm BayFlorida56.8%—142,023
19Port Saint LucieFlorida56.1%—258,575
20TallahasseeFlorida56.0%—205,089
21High PointNorth Carolina55.2%—118,601
22BellevueWashington55.2%—154,377
23GreensboroNorth Carolina54.4%—307,381
24South BendIndiana54.2%—103,713
25Fort WayneIndiana54.0%—273,203
26FayettevilleNorth Carolina53.9%—209,496
27RockfordIllinois53.7%—147,486
28DurhamNorth Carolina53.5%—301,870
29MontgomeryAlabama53.4%—195,818
30AkronOhio52.8%—189,664
31HillsboroOregon52.3%—110,337
32ChicoCalifornia52.1%—102,911
33GreshamOregon51.8%—111,507
34YonkersNew York51.5%—211,040
35RaleighNorth Carolina50.0%—499,825
36WilmingtonNorth Carolina49.6%—125,284
37Winston-SalemNorth Carolina49.0%—255,769
38MurfreesboroTennessee48.8%—168,387
39SalemOregon48.4%—180,406
40BeaumontTexas48.3%—112,893
41Coral SpringsFlorida48.1%—140,808
42Fort CollinsColorado47.9%—170,924
43ManchesterNew Hampshire47.5%—116,386
44KentWashington46.7%—136,588
45TylerTexas46.1%—112,219
46JolietIllinois46.1%—151,837
47Baton RougeLouisiana45.2%—220,907
48LansingMichigan45.1%—114,336
49EugeneOregon45.1%—178,786
50FargoNorth Dakota44.7%—136,285
51LafayetteLouisiana44.7%—122,280
52RochesterNew York44.4%—207,282
53PeoriaIllinois43.5%—111,696
54Pembroke PinesFlorida43.2%—179,326
55ClarksvilleTennessee43.2%—185,690
56AnchorageAlaska43.2%—289,600
57Des MoinesIowa43.0%—213,096
58Broken ArrowOklahoma43.0%—122,756
59PearlandTexas42.9%—129,620
60JacksonMississippi42.8%—141,449
61StamfordConnecticut42.7%—139,134
62Grand RapidsMichigan42.6%—200,117
63RentonWashington42.5%—105,543
64LakelandFlorida42.5%—124,990
65HartfordConnecticut42.4%—122,129
66BoiseIdaho42.4%—237,963
67MadisonWisconsin42.3%—285,300
68LowellMassachusetts41.8%—120,418
69MobileAlabama41.5%—201,367
70AlbanyNew York41.4%—101,317
71ClearwaterFlorida41.2%—116,811
72New HavenConnecticut41.1%—137,562
73HuntsvilleAlabama40.7%—230,402
74DavenportIowa40.6%—100,938
75North CharlestonSouth Carolina40.4%—126,005
76AllentownPennsylvania40.3%—127,138
77VancouverWashington39.5%—198,992
78Sioux FallsSouth Dakota39.5%—209,289
79BoulderColorado39.5%—106,803
80Virginia BeachVirginia39.3%—454,808
81SavannahGeorgia39.1%—148,808
82ShreveportLouisiana38.9%—176,578
83New BedfordMassachusetts38.6%—101,318
84St. PetersburgFlorida38.1%—267,102
85WorcesterMassachusetts36.8%—211,286
86TuscaloosaAlabama36.7%—114,288
87BuffaloNew York36.4%—276,617
88Green BayWisconsin36.3%—106,311
89ColumbiaSouth Carolina36.3%—144,788
90TopekaKansas36.1%—125,467
91Little RockArkansas36.0%—204,774
92WarrenMichigan35.9%—137,686
93CharlotteNorth Carolina35.8%—943,476
94SyracuseNew York34.9%—146,097
95OrlandoFlorida34.6%—334,854
96ProvidenceRhode Island34.4%—194,706
97Pompano BeachFlorida34.2%—118,104
98PasadenaTexas34.2%2.5K149,617
99DaytonOhio34.2%—136,346
100PittsburghPennsylvania34.1%—307,668
101LakewoodColorado34.0%—156,868
102CincinnatiOhio33.6%—314,915
103West JordanUtah33.4%—116,688
104TulsaOklahoma33.4%—415,154
105AlexandriaVirginia33.3%—159,102
106Saint PaulMinnesota32.8%—307,465
107JacksonvilleFlorida32.8%—1,009,833
108SpokaneWashington32.6%—230,609
109Cape CoralFlorida32.6%—233,025
110RichmondVirginia32.2%—233,655
111EverettWashington32.1%—113,011
112KnoxvilleTennessee31.8%—198,722
113Fort LauderdaleFlorida31.6%—190,641
114McKinneyTexas31.2%—227,526
115West Valley CityUtah31.1%—138,144
116EvansvilleIndiana30.7%—115,395
117ProvoUtah30.6%—115,479
118College StationTexas30.6%—128,023
119ArvadaColorado30.5%—121,873
120NorfolkVirginia30.2%—231,105
121PatersonNew Jersey29.4%1.9K160,463
122Newport NewsVirginia29.2%1.6K183,056
123BridgeportConnecticut29.1%2.6K151,599
124AuroraColorado28.3%5.3K403,130
125SpringfieldMissouri28.1%6.0K170,596
126Colorado SpringsColorado28.1%6.0K493,554
127AtlantaGeorgia28.0%6.3K520,070
128West Palm BeachFlorida27.9%4.8K127,744
129San MateoCalifornia27.7%7.2K103,006
130IrvineCalifornia27.2%8.7K318,683
131WashingtonDistrict of Columbia27.2%7.5K702,250
132Sterling HeightsMichigan26.7%10.4K134,342
133RosevilleCalifornia26.5%11.0K163,304
134ArlingtonTexas26.5%11.0K403,672
135ColumbusOhio26.5%10.7K933,263
136CentennialColorado26.2%11.9K108,853
137BillingsMontana25.7%13.3K121,483
138Santa RosaCalifornia25.6%13.8K177,524
139MinneapolisMinnesota25.1%14.6K428,579
140CharlestonSouth Carolina25.0%7.1K157,665
141HonoluluHawaii24.8%13.9K—
142Daly CityCalifornia24.8%16.3K101,418
143AustinTexas24.7%16.1K993,588
144Round RockTexas24.6%17.0K135,359
145IrvingTexas24.5%17.3K258,060
146SacramentoCalifornia24.5%16.6K535,798
147MesquiteTexas24.2%18.2K150,140
148NormanOklahoma24.1%18.5K131,010
149OmahaNebraska24.1%18.2K489,265
150TacomaWashington24.0%16.6K228,202
151Grand PrairieTexas23.5%20.4K207,331
152PortlandOregon22.8%19.7K635,749
153DenverColorado22.7%22.9K729,019
154TemeculaCalifornia22.6%23.2K112,431
155ElizabethNew Jersey22.5%23.5K140,413
156Elk GroveCalifornia22.4%23.9K182,797
157LewisvilleTexas22.3%24.0K135,983
158ModestoCalifornia22.1%24.8K220,592
159Santa ClaritaCalifornia22.0%25.1K229,159
160ClevelandOhio21.8%19.7K365,379
161GarlandTexas21.7%26.1K250,431
162HialeahFlorida21.6%26.2K235,388
163ConcordCalifornia21.6%26.4K124,016
164GreeleyColorado20.9%28.3K114,363
165MiamiFlorida20.9%21.4K487,014
166TampaFlorida20.7%25.0K414,547
167WacoTexas20.6%29.5K146,608
168BostonMassachusetts20.4%20.5K673,458
169SunnyvaleCalifornia19.9%31.7K156,792
170ChattanoogaTennessee19.9%27.0K191,496
171KilleenTexas19.8%32.0K160,616
172DentonTexas19.5%33.0K165,998
173ThorntonColorado19.5%32.9K146,689
174RichardsonTexas19.3%33.6K118,221
175HoustonTexas19.3%49.1K2,390,125
176PuebloColorado19.1%33.8K111,166
177HaywardCalifornia19.0%34.6K158,440
178RenoNevada18.9%34.9K281,714
179Salt Lake CityUtah18.6%35.8K217,783
180RiversideCalifornia18.6%35.8K323,757
181IndianapolisIndiana18.5%35.5K891,484
182MilwaukeeWisconsin18.2%29.9K563,531
183FriscoTexas17.9%38.0K235,208
184NewarkNew Jersey17.7%37.1K317,303
185SeattleWashington17.3%31.2K780,995
186CarrolltonTexas17.1%40.5K135,456
187FairfieldCalifornia17.0%40.2K122,646
188BrownsvilleTexas16.9%41.1K191,967
189Kansas CityMissouri16.3%41.5K516,032
190New YorkNew York16.2%22.4K8,478,072
191Thousand OaksCalifornia16.1%43.7K124,229
192FremontCalifornia16.0%43.8K228,192
193DetroitMichigan16.0%33.6K645,705
194LouisvilleKentucky15.2%36.2K640,796
195VictorvilleCalifornia14.9%47.4K140,721
196Wichita FallsTexas14.4%49.0K102,372
197VallejoCalifornia13.9%43.5K123,475
198WichitaKansas13.9%50.2K400,991
199St. LouisMissouri13.8%45.7K279,695
200San JoseCalifornia13.8%50.9K997,368
201BirminghamAlabama13.7%51.2K196,357
202StocktonCalifornia13.6%51.1K324,975
203BurbankCalifornia13.4%52.1K103,533
204Simi ValleyCalifornia13.1%53.0K125,778
205TucsonArizona12.9%53.7K554,013
206AntiochCalifornia12.9%48.2K118,453
207New OrleansLouisiana12.3%51.0K362,701
208LaredoTexas12.2%55.8K261,260
209MurrietaCalifornia12.1%56.2K112,539
210InglewoodCalifornia12.0%56.5K102,774
211ChicagoIllinois11.6%56.9K2,721,308
212PhiladelphiaPennsylvania11.5%56.7K1,573,916
213McAllenTexas11.2%59.1K148,782
214PomonaCalifornia11.2%59.1K147,966
215BaltimoreMaryland11.2%54.6K568,271
216OceansideCalifornia11.1%39.0K170,941
217West CovinaCalifornia10.9%60.0K106,920
218AbileneTexas10.8%60.3K130,501
219VisaliaCalifornia10.7%60.6K146,271
220Rancho CucamongaCalifornia10.6%60.9K176,675
221San AntonioTexas10.3%77.6K1,526,656
222MesaArizona10.1%62.5K517,151
223SalinasCalifornia9.9%63.1K160,783
224San AngeloTexas9.7%63.8K100,159
225DowneyCalifornia9.6%64.1K109,368
226Fort WorthTexas9.5%64.4K1,008,106
227ClovisCalifornia9.4%64.6K127,993
228ScottsdaleArizona9.3%65.0K246,170
229PlanoTexas9.2%65.3K293,286
230DallasTexas9.1%65.7K1,326,087
231AlbuquerqueNew Mexico8.8%66.1K560,326
232AnaheimCalifornia8.5%67.5K344,561
233NashvilleTennessee8.4%64.3K704,963
234Oklahoma CityOklahoma8.3%68.1K712,919
235Santa AnaCalifornia8.0%69.1K316,184
236CoronaCalifornia7.6%70.4K161,540
237El MonteCalifornia7.6%70.4K104,639
238ChandlerArizona7.5%70.7K281,231
239FresnoCalifornia7.4%71.0K550,105
240LancasterCalifornia7.2%71.6K167,426
241San DiegoCalifornia6.8%50.7K1,404,452
242Huntington BeachCalifornia6.6%50.6K193,151
243AmarilloTexas6.6%73.4K203,729
244Santa MariaCalifornia6.4%74.1K111,346
245OaklandCalifornia6.2%65.4K443,554
246BakersfieldCalifornia6.0%75.4K417,468
247San FranciscoCalifornia6.0%75.3K827,526
248TorranceCalifornia5.9%75.6K139,576
249FontanaCalifornia5.7%76.3K218,455
250EscondidoCalifornia5.2%77.9K148,847
251GlendaleArizona5.0%78.5K258,143
252Chula VistaCalifornia5.0%77.9K278,546
253San BernardinoCalifornia4.8%79.2K224,775
254Las CrucesNew Mexico4.3%80.7K116,998
255LubbockTexas4.3%80.7K272,086
256Corpus ChristiTexas4.3%58.8K317,317
257Los AngelesCalifornia4.1%81.3K3,878,704
258OxnardCalifornia3.8%82.3K200,616
259Moreno ValleyCalifornia3.7%82.6K213,919
260Long BeachCalifornia3.6%59.5K450,901
261TempeArizona3.4%83.6K190,114
262PalmdaleCalifornia3.3%83.9K162,536
263El CajonCalifornia2.9%85.1K103,291
264MidlandTexas2.9%85.1K143,687
265Las VegasNevada2.4%86.7K678,922
266SurpriseArizona2.3%87.0K167,564
267PhoenixArizona1.6%89.2K1,673,164
268HendersonNevada1.4%89.7K350,039
269OdessaTexas1.1%90.8K119,748
270El PasoTexas1.0%91.1K681,723

Trees needed: roughly how many more mature trees would bring the measured area to its healthy-canopy target. Population: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates; Honolulu is a consolidated city-county with no separate city estimate.

Greenest states, by their large cities

The average tree cover of each state's ranked cities — a measure of where its people live, not of the state's forests. States with a single large city are left out.

  1. 1.Georgia(5 cities)58.0%
  2. 2.North Carolina(9 cities)52.8%
  3. 3.Iowa(3 cities)49.7%
  4. 4.Illinois(6 cities)46.0%
  5. 5.Kansas(4 cities)45.0%
  6. 6.Nebraska(2 cities)44.9%
  7. 7.Oregon(5 cities)44.1%
  8. 8.Connecticut(5 cities)43.4%
  9. 9.Kentucky(2 cities)41.4%
  10. 10.Indiana(4 cities)39.4%
  11. 11.Florida(18 cities)38.7%
  12. 12.Michigan(6 cities)38.2%
  13. 13.Ohio(6 cities)37.7%
  14. 14.New York(6 cities)37.5%
  15. 15.Alabama(5 cities)37.2%
  16. 16.Washington(8 cities)36.2%
  17. 17.Louisiana(4 cities)35.3%
  18. 18.Massachusetts(4 cities)34.4%
  19. 19.South Carolina(3 cities)33.9%
  20. 20.Virginia(5 cities)32.8%
  21. 21.Wisconsin(3 cities)32.3%
  22. 22.Missouri(4 cities)31.3%
  23. 23.Tennessee(5 cities)30.4%
  24. 24.Minnesota(2 cities)28.9%
  25. 25.Colorado(11 cities)28.8%
  26. 26.Pennsylvania(3 cities)28.6%
  27. 27.Utah(4 cities)28.4%
  28. 28.Oklahoma(4 cities)27.2%
  29. 29.New Jersey(3 cities)23.2%
  30. 30.Texas(38 cities)20.0%
  31. 31.California(58 cities)13.1%
  32. 32.Nevada(3 cities)7.6%
  33. 33.New Mexico(2 cities)6.6%
  34. 34.Arizona(8 cities)6.5%

How this ranking was made

  • Same area for every city: a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius around the city's central coordinates. This measures each city's core, not everything inside its municipal boundary — a sprawling suburban city can rank higher than its downtown alone would.
  • Satellite, not a census: the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 imagery at 10 m resolution, using the clearest recent scene. Tree canopy is separated from grass and pavement by how strongly it reflects near-infrared light (NDVI); in a wet season dense lawns can read as canopy, which is why the figures are estimates.
  • Which cities: incorporated cities of 100,000+ residents (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates), plus Honolulu. Boroughs, neighborhoods and unincorporated areas are excluded.
  • Healthy canopy: around 30% cover, raised where air quality is poor — the benchmark behind "trees needed" and "below a healthy canopy".

Full methodology and data sources

Using this ranking?

You're welcome to quote it or chart it — please credit Airleaf and link to this page. Suggested citation:

Airleaf, "Greenest US Cities 2026: Tree Cover Ranking", https://airleaf.io/rankings/greenest-us-cities (accessed 25 September 2026).

Questions about the ranking

What is the greenest city in the US?

South Fulton, GA is the greenest large city in the United States, with 98.0% of the land within 1.2 mi (2 km) of its center under tree canopy. Cary, NC (74.0%) and Overland Park, KS (72.6%) follow.

Which large US city has the fewest trees?

At the other end, El Paso, TX has the least tree cover of the 270 cities ranked, at 1.0% — 5 of the ten least green cities are in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico or Utah, where desert climate, not only planning, keeps canopy low.

How is tree cover measured for this ranking?

Each city is measured from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery at 10 m resolution over the same area: a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius (about 4.9 sq mi (12.6 km²)) around the city's central coordinates. Live tree canopy reflects near-infrared light strongly and absorbs red light, so the ratio between those bands (NDVI) separates canopy from pavement, rooftops and bare ground. Because every city is measured over an identical area, the figures compare like for like.

Which cities are included?

Every incorporated US city with at least 100,000 residents in the US Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates, plus Honolulu, a consolidated city-county the Census does not estimate separately. Boroughs, neighborhoods and unincorporated areas are left out, so New York is ranked as one city.

How often is the ranking updated?

Continuously. Each city is re-measured as clearer satellite passes arrive — roughly monthly — and the ranking recalculates on its own. The dates of the imagery behind the current figures are shown on this page.

Your own street

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