Healthy Habits - Cities with the Highest Risk of Lead Exposure

 

Where should homeowners consider scheduling a lead paint inspection? To find out, Home Gnome ranked 2025’s Cities With the Highest Risk of Lead Paint Exposure. 10 Cities with the Highest Risk of Lead Paint Exposure St. Louis, MO Chicago, IL Kansas City, MO Cicero, IL Philadelphia, PA Detroit, MI Omaha, NE Buffalo, NY Reading, PA Cleveland, OH   Don’t see your city above? Check out the full ranking.

Lead paint removal can be costly, ranging from nearly $6,000 to over $18,000.  According to Mary Jean Brown, adjunct assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “In many states, lead inspections are provided at no cost to families, but if hazards are found, families who own their own homes may have to abate the hazards. The usual cost of abating a 2-bedroom apartment is about $10,000 if the house has exterior paint.” Read more from Mary Jean and other experts: homegnome.com/blog/studies/highest-risk-cities-lead-paint-exposure/#expert-take  Behind the ranking: We compared the 500 biggest U.S. cities based on 2 categories. More specifically, we looked at the number and share of homes built in the years when lead paint was commonly used. We also considered access to lead paint abatement firms and reports of lead paint violations, among 9 total metrics. About Home Gnome: Home Gnome delivers the best home service experience at the click of a button. Book reliable, skilled services in seconds and leave the rest to us. More from Home Gnome:  Hammer Time: Best Cities for Tackling Home Improvements Homeownership Growing in Only 16% of Largest U.S. Cities How to Remove Wood Stain with Paint Stripper Ways to Remove Paint and Stain from Wood 8 Common Mistakes that DIY Painters Make How to Get Paint Out of Clothes How to Fix Paint Drips