Top Cities for Residential Views and Air Quality - The New York Times
A study reveals where home buyers have the best chance of finding homes with good views and air quality.
Choosing the right home isn't all about the bedrooms, baths and square footage. What's outside matters, too, and a good view can make a big difference. If you can open a window and breathe in some fresh air, all the better!
With this in mind, the California-based lawn-care provider Lawnlove.com recently ranked the 200 largest U.S. cities according to residential views and air quality. Cities were scored on several metrics including their median air-quality index, their share of waterfront homes, and their share of homes with ocean, lake, river, mountain, city or park views. Individual scores were weighted and averaged for a final rank.
Honolulu topped the list, finishing eighth for its water views, fourth for air quality, and first for its share of available homes with city views. The Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Ariz., finished last, followed by five other Arizona cities in the bottom 10, all of which tied for last in air quality.
Given climate change and the potential for extreme weather, a home close to the water may not be appealing. But if you do want to be right on the beach, Florida offers the best chance, with the highest share of waterfront homes found in the towns of Cape Coral, Fort Lauderdale and Pembroke Pines.
Ranking highest for air quality were two West Texas towns — Lubbock and Midland — followed by Anchorage. If it's mountain views you're after, Reno, Nev., and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., are your best bets, followed again by Honolulu.
Finally, Irvine, Calif., adjacent to the Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, scored highest for park views, followed by Huntington Beach, Calif., and Tallahassee, Fla.
What's Outside?
A study of available and recently sold homes ranked the 200 largest U.S. cities by their residential views and air quality. The highest- and lowest-ranked cities and the two factors that most contributed to their overall rank are shown below.
RANKED HIGHEST
Honolulu
Reno, Nev.
Seattle
Anchorage
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Irvine, Calif.
Colorado Springs
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Bellevue, Wash.
Cape Coral, Fla.
1st for city views, 3rd for mountain views
1st for mountain views, 7th for park views
4th for city views, 5th for water views
3rd for air quality, 4th for mountain views
2nd for mountain views, 19th for city views
1st for park views, 38th for city views
5th for mountain views, 39th for city views
1st for water views, 74th for city views
8th for city views, 10th for water views
2nd for water views, 23rd for air quality
RANKED LOWEST
Peoria, Ariz.
Fresno, Calif.
Joliet, Ill.
Sacramento
Gilbert, Ariz.
Albuquerque
Mesa, Ariz.
Chandler, Ariz.
Tempe, Ariz.
Glendale, Ariz.
150th for water views, 193rd for air quality
164th for water views, 148th for air quality
180th for city views, 157th for park views
170th for city views, 157th for air quality
140th for city views, 193rd for air quality
188th for water views, 193rd for park views
162nd for water views, 193rd for air quality
139th for city views, 193rd for air quality
104th for water views, 193rd for air quality
130th for city views, 193rd for air quality
RANKED HIGHEST
RANKED LOWEST
Honolulu
Reno, Nev.
Seattle
Anchorage
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Irvine, Calif.
Colorado Springs
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Bellevue, Wash.
Cape Coral, Fla.
Peoria, Ariz.
Fresno, Calif.
Joliet, Ill.
Sacramento
Gilbert, Ariz.
Albuquerque
Mesa, Ariz.
Chandler, Ariz.
Tempe, Ariz.
Glendale, Ariz.
1st for city views, 3rd for mountain views
1st for mountain views, 7th for park views
4th for city views, 5th for water views
3rd for air quality, 4th for mountain views
2nd for mountain views, 19th for city views
1st for park views, 38th for city views
5th for mountain views, 39th for city views
1st for water views, 74th for city views
8th for city views, 10th for water views
2nd for water views, 23rd for air quality
1st for city views, 3rd for mountain views
1st for mountain views, 7th for park views
4th for city views, 5th for water views
3rd for air quality, 4th for mountain views
2nd for mountain views, 19th for city views
1st for park views, 38th for city views
5th for mountain views, 39th for city views
1st for water views, 74th for city views
8th for city views, 10th for water views
2nd for water views, 23rd for air quality
150th for water views, 193rd for air quality
164th for water views, 148th for air quality
180th for city views, 157th for park views
170th for city views, 157th for air quality
140th for city views, 193rd for air quality
188th for water views, 193rd for park views
162nd for water views, 193rd for air quality
139th for city views, 193rd for air quality
104th for water views, 193rd for air quality
130th for city views, 193rd for air quality
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