Guess Which 2 Illinois Cities Made America’s Filthiest List

If you thought Illinois' contribution to America's dirtiest cities started and ended with Chicago, think again. Turns out, there's a lesser-known contender that’s out-filthing the Windy City and making the state proud in all the wrong ways.

America's Dirtiest Cities: Illinois Shows It's Not Just Chicago That's Filthy

LawnStarter, clearly a bunch of brave souls who love a good whiff of dumpster air, conducted their survey by expanding their study to over 300 cities across the U.S.

They measured things like air pollution, water quality, waste management, and how much the locals hate it there. With 21 different metrics, they took a deep dive into America’s dirtiest secrets and surfaced with some absolute winners.

America's Dirtiest City is:

Get our free mobile app

None other than San Bernardino, California. If you’re keeping track, Detroit took second, Reading, Pennsylvania slid into third, and the top five are rounded out by Newark and Ontario, California.

Basically, if you want to breathe in the purest cocktail of smog and despair, these cities are a must-visit.

Illinois' Filthiest Cities

Ah, Illinois, the Land of Lincoln—and apparently, the land of filth. According to LawnStarter's survey, our state doesn't just let Chicago hog all the glory. Nope, Schaumburg has somehow beaten the Windy City in the race to grime greatness. That’s right, while Chicago is lounging comfortably at #27, Schaumburg is rolling in all its dirty glory at #24.

If you’ve ever thought, “Wow, I wish my suburb had more resident dissatisfaction,” then Schaumburg is the place to be!

Schaumburg and Chicago are doing their part to keep up the trashy tradition. It’s like a big brother-little brother scenario, except in this case, the little brother outgrew big brother in grime and discontent.

So next time you’re sitting in traffic on I-290, just remember: the air might be thick with fumes, but at least you’re inhaling the scent of Schaumburg’s hard-earned rank on America’s dirtiest cities list.

MORE: 20 Hidden Gem Spots from Across Illinois You Must Visit