Around 35% of U.S. homes contain lead paint, so in which cities is the risk of lead paint exposure — and the need for a lead paint inspection — greatest?
To find out, Paint Gnome ranked 2024’s Most Lead Paint-Vulnerable Cities. With over 410,000 annual deaths in the U.S. attributed to lead contamination, the EPA is looking to tighten regulations on lead paint in homes and childcare facilities.
We compared the 500 biggest U.S. cities based on 2 categories. We looked at the number and share of homes built in the years when lead paint use was common. We also considered access to certified lead-based paint inspection, risk assessment, and abatement firms, among 8 total metrics.
See where your city landed in our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.
Contents
- Rankings
- Up Close: Top 5 Most Vulnerable
- The Upshot
- Ask the Experts
- Behind the Ranking
- Final Thoughts: Schedule an Inspection
Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking below.
Note: Due to a significant number of ties in the “Lack of Mitigation” category, we grouped the cities into tiers (based on their actual category rank) to simplify presentation.
Up Close: Top 5 Most Vulnerable
Check out the slideshow below for insights on each of our top 5 most lead paint-vulnerable cities.
Number of Homes Built Before 1940: 17,736 | Rank: 75
Share of Homes Built Before 1940: 62.1% | Rank: 1
Share of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 23.3% | Rank: 99
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firms: 0 | Rank: 1 (tie)
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Inspection and Risk Assessment Firms: 0 | Rank: 1 (tie)
Photo Credit: Zol87 / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Number of Homes Built Before 1940: 477,133 | Rank: 2
Share of Homes Built Before 1940: 37.8% | Rank: 37
Number of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 247,859 | Rank: 3
Number of Homes Built Between 1960 and 1979: 232,889| Rank: 4
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firms: 8 | Rank: 477
Photo Credit: James Andrews / Canva Pro / Canva License
Number of Homes Built Before 1940: 83,601 | Rank: 15
Share of Homes Built Before 1940: 60.1% | Rank: 4
Number of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 25,553 | Rank: 56
Share of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 18.4% | Rank: 153
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firms: 10 | Rank: 488
Photo Credit: Warren LeMay / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Number of Homes Built Before 1940: 21,622 | Rank: 56
Share of Homes Built Before 1940: 61.5% | Rank: 2
Share of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 13.2% | Rank: 243
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firms: 2 | Rank: 371
Number of Certified Lead-Based Paint Inspection and Risk Assessment Firms: 0 | Rank: 1 (tie)
Photo Credit: Mr. Matté / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Number of Homes Built Before 1940: 97,948 | Rank: 11
Share of Homes Built Before 1940: 56.3% | Rank: 5
Number of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 30,268 | Rank: 47
Share of Homes Built Between 1940 and 1959: 17.4% | Rank: 175
Number of Homes Built Between 1960 and 1979: 17,663 | Rank: 169
Photo Credit: w_lemay / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Upshot
Northeastern and Midwestern cities with older homes like Buffalo, New York (No. 3), and St. Louis (No. 5) finished among the most vulnerable places for residential lead paint. 13 states — plus Washington, D.C. (No. 58) — landed in the most hazardous half, including Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. Every city representing Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island scored in the top 100 most vulnerable cities.
Some cities — such as Chicago (No. 2) and Philadelphia (No. 6) — stand out with abundant lead paint inspection and abatement professionals. Despite a clear need, smaller cities like Windy City suburb Cicero, Illinois (No. 1), Somerville, Massachusetts (No. 8), and Scranton, Pennsylvania (No. 10), lack professional lead paint removal services.
Younger cities and suburbs out West like Castle Rock, Colorado (No. 498), and Surprise, Arizona (No. 499), finished at the healthier end of our ranking alongside Frisco, Texas, as the least vulnerable. Every city in Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona — except Tucson (No. 242) — scored in the safer half. Most homes in these cities are not old enough to have prevalent lead paint hazards.
Ask The Experts
Health officials say it’s best to skip the DIY when it comes to lead paint removal — let a professional handle it instead.
We reached out to a panel of experts to learn more about the lead paint abatement process and what homeowners should expect. Peel through their insights below.
1. How do you know your home might have lead paint?
2. What are some symptoms of lead poisoning that homeowners should be aware of?
3. How much does it cost to have lead paint inspected and removed? How long does the lead paint abatement process take?
4. What resources, if any, are available to homeowners seeking to have lead paint removed?
How do you know your home might have lead paint?
If your house was built before the federal lead paint ban (1978) then it may have lead paint. This lead paint may be buried under layers of more recent paint, so it can still be a health issue.
What are three symptoms of lead poisoning that homeowners should be aware of?
Lead poisoning is worst for children, who can be affected for life by this illness (usually through learning disorders and severe mental health issues such as aggression).
Adults may not appear to be sick but can show signs of:
1. Fatigue
2. Headaches
3. Or (in extreme cases) hallucinations
How much does it cost to have lead paint inspected and removed?
Depending on location, this can vary from tens to thousands of dollars.
- For inspection, small paint chip samples can often be sent out for testing or home kits can be used.
- Remediation or removal of will likely cost a few thousand dollars since there is a lot of environmental work that needs to be done to ensure the workers are safe.
Your local and state governments may have rebates or otherwise help with the costs of testing and remediation.
How long does the lead paint abatement process take?
This depends on the square footage since a lot of the environmental safety procedures can scale. A room may only take part of a day, while a house will often take a few days. Only certified professionals should do this work.
What resources, if any, are available to homeowners seeking to have lead paint removed?
Your local and state governments may have rebates or otherwise help with the costs of testing and remediation.
Behind the Ranking
First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Most Lead Paint-Vulnerable Cities. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 2 categories: Exposure Risk and Lack of Mitigation. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.
For each of the 500 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table.
Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Most Vulnerable” (No. 1) and the lowest “Least Vulnerable” (No. 500).
Due to a significant number of ties in the “Lack of Mitigation” category, we grouped the cities into tiers (based on their actual category rank) to simplify presentation.
Notes:
- The “Least Vulnerable” among individual factors may not be No. 500 due to ties.
- According to the EPA, lead paint hazards are prevalent in 87% of homes constructed before 1940, in 69% of homes built between 1940 and 1959, and in 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1977. The Exposure Risk metrics were weighted to reflect this.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Final Thoughts: Schedule an Inspection
Although lead paint was banned in the U.S. 46 years ago, around 35% of American homes still have traces of lead paint.
There is no “safe” amount of lead exposure. Lead poisoning can lead to serious short and long-term health consequences. Walls with lead-based paint — even under newer layers of paint — can be hazardous when manipulated.
The EPA is working to strengthen lead paint standards in homes, schools, and child care facilities — but lead paint removal can be a costly procedure.
Thankfully, the federal government awarded grants this year to some at-risk regions like Alameda County, California, and the state of Minnesota to offset the expenses of lead paint abatement. Some cities like Cleveland (No. 9) and Syracuse, New York (No. 20), have also been prioritizing investigations of lead paint violations in rental units.
It’s important to schedule a lead paint inspection in older homes if you notice paint peeling or chipping or if you plan to remodel.
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Main Photo Credit: Douglas Rissing / Canva / Canva Pro License
