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Which cities have the worst urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl is bad for our health.

Whether it’s because we’re stuck in traffic, trying to get from one side of town to another, or if its a strain on public resources like power and water, cities that are too large can be a big negative in how we live our everyday lives.

Web Watch knows people who live in one part of town who seldom venture beyond a 10 mile radius, being perfectly happy living and working close to where they live. Others, we know, are happy to drive an hour or more to see a movie or eat a casual meal at a restaurant they’ve heard about.

Urban Sprawl and Public Health: Designing, Planning, and Building for Healthy Communities
Urban Sprawl and Public Health:
Designing, Planning, and Building for Healthy Communities

So what cities have the LEAST URBAN SPRAWL and the MOST URBAN SPRAWL?

That New York is at the top of the least sprawl should come as no surprise.  New York decided to build UP and not OUT, making for a very densely populated, compact area.

THE TOP TEN LEAST SPRAWL METRO AREAS

  1. New York / White Plains / Wayne NJ
  2. San Francisco
  3. Atlantic City
  4. Santa Barbara CA
  5. Champaign IL
  6. Santa Cruz CA
  7. Trenton NJ
  8. Miami
  9. Springfield IL
  10. Santa Ana CA

If you’re looking at least sprawl areas, but with smaller populations, you may want to check out:

  1. Madison, WI
  2. Allentown PA
  3. Bridgeport CT
  4. Stockton CA
  5. New Haven CT

And if urban sprawl is not your thing, perhaps you should avoid one of these areas:

  1. Kingsport / Bristol TN
  2. Augusta GA
  3. Greenville SC
  4. San Bernardino CA
  5. Baton Rouge LA
  6. Nashville TN
  7. Prescott AZ
  8. Clarksville TN
  9. Atlanta GA
  10. Hickory NC

Honorable (dishonorable?) mention goes out to Houston TX, Richmond VA, Rochester NY, Birmingham AL, and Memphis TN.