Best U.S. Cities for Personal Hygiene and Home Cleanliness

We all prize cleanliness and personal hygiene — it’s essential for our health and to prevent the spread of dangerous bacteria and diseases in our homes. But are some cities and their residents better at maintaining personal hygiene than others?

To reveal how clean we are as a population, and which U.S. cities have the best hygiene, we asked 1,000 people from the 20 most populous U.S. cities how often they clean their bodies and their homes.

To understand the hygiene and cleanliness of people across America, the study analyzed a number of factors including the frequency people clean their hands, teeth, hair, and full bodies, as well as how often people clean their toilets, showers, and kitchens, clothing, and dishes.

Find out whether your city made it in the top 5 best or worst cities for personal hygiene and cleanliness.

Key Findings

• Jacksonville, Florida, has the best personal and home hygiene in the U.S., with residents reporting the highest frequency of cleaning their bodies and homes in the U.S.
• Residents of Austin, Texas, were found to have the worst personal and home hygiene, with residents the least frequent cleaners of both their bodies and homes in the U.S.
• The average American washes their hands just 3.8 times a day, with 10.6% of Americans washing their hands once a day or less
• Americans do their laundry 2.33 times each week, with residents of Jacksonville washing their clothes the most with an average of 3.05 times per week
• Americans wipe down and clean their kitchens nearly every other day on average, with 26.6% of people wiping down their kitchen just 3 times a month or less

The U.S. cities with the best personal hygiene

According to the findings of our survey, Americans wash their hands an average of 3.81 times a day, with those in Columbus most frequently washing their hands throughout the day (4.32 times per day).

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), it is recommended that people should wash their hands “frequently” throughout the day, so it could be seen as a surprise that the national average is actually below 4 times a day.

Similarly, the American Dental Association (ADA) generally recommends that people brush their teeth at least twice a day. However, according to the results of our survey, many are brushing their teeth less often.

Our data shows that the average American brushes their teeth 1.88 times per day (below the recommended frequency), with the only cities achieving average teeth brushing of 2 or more times a day being San Diego (2.07), New York (2.07), San Antonio (2.03), and San Francisco (2.03).

The frequency people shower and bathe can vary drastically depending on their lifestyle, the climate they live in, and even their own physiology. According to our data, the average American washes their body and hair 5.27 times a week, with New Yorkers the most frequent bathers on average (6.10 times a week).

Top cities for personal hygiene

To identify the cities with the best personal hygiene, we analyzed the average washing frequencies of hands, teeth, and body and hair in each city surveyed. Results show that residents of Jacksonville, Florida, have the best personal hygiene in the U.S. achieving a resounding A+ (5-star) ranking.

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San Antonio has the second-best personal hygiene in the cities analyzed; achieving a personal hygiene rating of 4.7 stars. Close behind San Antonio in the rankings, New Yorkers were found to have the third best personal hygiene in the U.S. (4.6 stars), with a high average frequency of personal hygiene tasks except for hand washing where New York ranked in the bottom half of the analysis.

Cities with the cleanest hands

Results show that residents of Columbus wash their hands the most frequently across the cities surveyed, with Columbusites washing their hands 4.32 times per day. Behind Columbus, Philadelphians are the second most frequent hand washers, cleaning their hands 4.15 times per day.

Cities with the cleanest teeth

The top 5 cities for teeth brushing brush their teeth an average of 2.07 times per day — slightly above the recommended frequency of teeth brushing by the ADA — with San Diego and New York claiming top spot.

Just behind the joint leading teeth brushing cities are San Antonio (2.03 times per day), San Francisco (2.03 times per day), and, the overall top city for personal hygiene, Jacksonville (1.99 times per day).

Cities that bathe the most frequently

New Yorkers are the most frequent bathers across the cities surveyed, with the average New Yorker washing their full body and hair 6.1 times per week. San Antonians are the second most frequent bathers, washing their bodies and hair an average of 5.86 times per week.

Cities with the worst personal hygiene

Our results show that residents of Austin, Texas, have the worst personal hygiene of the 20 major cities analyzed, having the lowest frequency of washing across the three personal hygiene tasks we surveyed.

Residents of Austin are the least frequent hand washers, washing their hands an average of just 3.07 times per day, as well as the least frequent teeth brushers (1.57 times per day), and full body and hair bathers (4.34 times per week).

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Forth Worth was found to have the second worst personal hygiene, with the average resident washing their hands just 3.31 times a day, brushing their teeth just 1.74 times a day, and bathing just 4.70 times a week.

Cities with the least clean hands

As already mentioned, Austinites are the least frequent washers of their hands in the U.S., washing their hands just 3.07 times per day. Behind Austin, residents of Fort Worth (3.31) and San Jose (3.44) have the second and third-lowest average frequency for washing their hands.

Cities with the least clean teeth

Austin (again) was revealed to have the least clean teeth, with the average person in Austin brushing their teeth an average of 1.57 times per day. San Jose residents brush their teeth with the second lowest frequency, cleaning their teeth an average of just 1.64 times per day.

Cities that bathe the least frequently

Austin wins this one too (sorry, Austin). Our results show that residents of Austin are the least frequent bathers across the 20 cities surveyed. Our data shows Austin residents wash their full body and hair just 4.34 times per week.

Just behind Austin, Fort Worth residents are the second least frequent bathers, washing their full body and hair an average of just 4.70 times per week.

All 20 cities ranked on personal hygiene

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In addition to analyzing the person hygiene of the 20 most populous cities in the U.S. our survey also looked at how frequently Americans clean some of the most grimy parts of their homes.

The U.S. cities with the cleanest homes

After surveying the 20 most populous cities in the U.S., we found that the average American does their laundry 2.33 times each week, with those living in Jacksonville, Florida, washing their clothes the most each week (an average of 3.05 times per week).

In addition to looking at people’s laundry habits, our survey also asked Americans about their cleaning habits and frequency when it comes to their toilets, showers, kitchens, and dishes.

Results show that Americans clean their toilets an average of 7.86 times per month, with those in Philadelphia being the most frequent toilet cleaners and those in Oklahoma City cleaning their toilets with the lowest frequency.

Showers across the U.S. are cleaned an average of 6.64 times per month, with San Franciscans revealed to have the cleanest showers in the U.S. and those in Austin the least frequently cleaned showers.

When it came to kitchen cleaning, our data shows that kitchens are cleaned an average of 14.71 times per month, with those in Jacksonville being the most frequent kitchen cleaners and those in San Jose the least.

The average American washes their dishes 5.52 times per week, however, those in Dallas wash theirs an average of 6.08 times per week, while residents of Austin wash theirs just 4.62 times in an average week.

Top cities for home hygiene

Based on the frequency of cleaning clothes, toilets, showers, kitchens, and dishes, we found that Jacksonville, Florida, has the most frequently cleaned homes and scores an A+ rating (5 stars).

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Seattle has the second-best cleaned homes, with the cleaning habits of Seattle residents scoring 4.06 out of 5 stars across the five categories. However, Seattle did lose some ground on Jacksonville due to the average number of times residents reportedly clean their toilets (6.67 times per month; below the national average of 7.86).

Philadelphia took third place in our rankings, scoring 3.82 out of 5 stars for the frequency of cleaning their homes. Although, it’s not all good news, with Philadelphia in the bottom half of all cities surveyed, doing laundry an average of just 2.27 times per week.

Cities with the cleanest clothes

On average, residents of Jacksonville top the list and wash their clothes 3.05 times per week. Residents of Seattle and Indianapolis are the second and third most frequent clothes washers. Residents of Seattle wash their clothes an average of 2.65 times per week, while residents of Indianapolis wash theirs 2.64 times per week.

Cities with the cleanest toilets

Results show that Philadelphians have the cleanest toilets in the U.S., with the average Philadelphian reporting cleaning their toilet(s) 11.48 times per month. Figures also show that those living in Los Angeles have the second cleanest toilets, cleaning their toilets 11.01 times per month, while residents of Jacksonville clean theirs 10.07 times per month.

Cities with the cleanest showers

Our results reveal that San Franciscans reportedly clean their showers an average of 9.46 times per month, the most across the 20 cities surveyed. In close second place is Chicago, with Chicagoans cleaning their showers a reported 9.34 times per month; while Los Angeles took third place for the frequency of cleaning their showers.

Cities with the cleanest kitchens

On average, residents of Jacksonville say they clean their kitchens 19.10 times per month, the most of any city surveyed. The city with the second most frequently cleaned kitchens is Seattle, where residents clean their kitchens an average of 18.23 times per month.

Cities with the cleanest dishes

Dallas was found to have the most frequently cleaned dishes in the U.S., with residents reportedly cleaning their dishes an average of 6.08 times per week. The most frequent dishwashers are residents of New York, who reportedly clean their dishes 5.99 times per week.

The cities with the worst home hygiene

Austin, Texas, has been revealed to be the U.S. city with the most infrequent home cleaning habits, with our survey finding that Austin residents are the least frequent cleaners of their showers and dishes across the 20 cities surveyed.

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The city with the second least frequent home cleaning habits is Denver, where residents perform the least number of laundry loads per week (1.72) and achieved a home hygiene rating of just 1.53 stars.

Another Texan city rounds off the three most infrequent home cleaning cities with Houston found to have a home hygiene rating of just 1.59 out of 5 stars.

Cities with the least cleaned clothes

Residents of Denver, Colorado, do the fewest average loads of washing each week, with our data finding Denverites wash just 1.72 loads of washing per week. Behind Denver, Austin wash their clothes the second least, washing just under 2 loads (1.94) per week.

Cities with the least cleaned toilets

Based on survey results, we found that Oklahoma City has the least frequently cleaned toilets in the U.S., with residents of Oklahoma City reportedly cleaning their toilets just 5.72 times per month — nearly a third less frequently than the national average (7.86).

Indianapolis has been revealed as having the second dirtiest toilets in the U.S., with toilets in Indianapolis cleaned just 5.80 times per month.

Cities with the least cleaned showers

Austin, Texas, has the least frequently cleaned showers across the cities analyzed, with showers in Austin cleaned just 4.61 times per month — 2 fewer cleans per month than the national average (6.64).

Denver, meanwhile, was found to have the second least frequently cleaned showers (4.65 per month).

Cities with the least cleaned kitchens

Residents of San Jose reportedly clean their kitchens just 9.92 times per month — the least frequent of cities surveyed and 48% less than the national average (14.71 times per month). Austin also scored lowly in our analysis, with kitchens in Austin cleaned an average of just 10.41 times per month.

Cities with the least cleaned dishes

In addition to being some of the least frequent kitchen cleaners, residents of Austin are the least frequent dishwashers. Results show that on average in Austin dishes are washed just 4.62 times per week, with 12% of residents surveyed admitting they wash their dishes “less than once a week” or “never”.

All 20 cities ranked on home hygiene

The cities residents think are cleanest

When asked about how clean they feel their city is, the average American gives their city a score of 3.66 out of 5, with residents of Charlotte giving their city the highest average score of 4 out of 5 stars. The second most highly rated city for cleanliness is Indianapolis, with residents scoring their city 3.80 out of 5 stars for overall city cleanliness. While Phoenix was found to be the third most highly rated city for cleanliness.

Cities residents think are least clean

At the other end of the scale, San Francisco residents give their city’s cleanliness an average score of just 3.38 out of 5 stars, with Columbus found to be the second worst-rated city for overall cleanliness.

The cities residents think have the best air quality

Our results show that the average American rates their city’s air quality 3.91 stars out of 5, with residents of Charlotte giving their city the highest average ranking (4.10).

Cities residents think have the lowest air quality

Columbus, however, was found to be the lowest-rated city for residents rating the local air quality, with the average Columbus resident rating the air quality 3.66 out of 5 stars.

Consider a cleaner if you need help with home hygiene

Whether your city ranks in the cleanest or dirtiest areas for personal or household cleanliness, keeping clean is still essential for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re struggling to keep up with your household chores, connect with a cleaner on Homeaglow.

Methodology

Our survey asked 1,000 respondents from across the 20 most populous U.S. cities about their personal hygiene and home cleanliness habits. Respondents were asked about the frequency of their cleaning habits and their view on the overall cleanliness of their city.

Cities were given an overall cleanliness score based on the average each cities average rankings (out of 20 points per question) in each category, this figure was then averaged to provide an average ranking.

The survey took place between 12/01/2022 and 12/24/2022, comprising 49.3% male respondents and 50.7% female respondents.