Public toilets aren’t something you think about until you have to go. Then, that’s all you can think about. In those desperate moments of frantic search, it’s alarming how difficult it is to find a public restroom in many locations. Looking at which cities have the most toilets in the US and the world can shed light on the accessibility and adequacy (or lack thereof) of public restroom facilities.

Top 10 Cities with the Most Public Restrooms

City	Total # of Toilets
New York, NY	365
San Francisco, CA	228
San Jose, CA	204
Los Angeles, CA	189
San Diego, CA	179
Chicago, IL	165
Denver, CO	143
Oakland, CA	128
Seattle, WA	119
Portland, OR	109

Let’s kick things off by looking at the cities in the US with the most public restrooms overall. Notice how this list almost perfectly mirrors the most populous cities in the country. This is not surprising, as bigger cities naturally have a higher demand for public amenities, including restrooms, to serve their residents and visitors. Still, this isn’t the most important stat to look at when comparing the accessibility and availability of bathroom facilities across the country.

Top 15 Cities with the Highest Density of Public Restrooms

City	Toilets per 100k People
Madison, WI	35
Oakland, CA	30
San Francisco, CA	26
Anaheim, CA	25
Denver, CO	21
Honolulu, HI	21
Orlando, FL	21
San Jose, CA	20
Kansas City, MO	20
Minneapolis, MN	18
Seattle, WA	17
Portland, OR	17
Henderson, NV	17
Fremont, CA	17
Irvine, CA	15

Looking at the number of public restrooms per capita is a much better measurement of how a city serves the sanitation needs of its citizens because it reflects the actual availability of these essential services to each individual in the city.

You’ll notice many of the cities with the highest number of restrooms drop out of the top spots when changing the metric. Some cities such as San Francisco, Denver, San Jose, and Seattle make both lists, underscoring their commitment to investing in public health and convenience.

Top 20 Countries with the Highest Density of Public Restrooms

Country	Toilets per 100k People
Iceland	56
Switzerland	46
New Zealand	45
Finland	41
Australia	37
Austria	37
Norway	33
Denmark	33
Estonia	27
Sweden	26
Latvia	25
Luxembourg	23
France	23
Germany	21
Canada	18
Croatia	18
Slovakia	17
Hungary	16
Lithuania	15
United Kingdom	15

The usual suspects from Scandinavia and Western Europe grace the top spots of countries with the most restroom facilities per capita. Alarmingly, the United States didn’t even make it into the top 20. The US has gotten a lot right about public restrooms, but widespread availability certainly isn’t one of them.

The Problem With (Most) Public Restrooms

While it’s easy to dismiss the stark lack of public restrooms as a failure of public policy, the conventional facility shares at least some of the burden. Standard public restrooms have always been designed to optimize the safety and comfort of the user which inevitably leads to misuse, a shortened lifespan, and unforeseen costs. As a result, many cities view public restrooms as a  time waste and money pit.

How the Portland Loo is Helping

The Portland Loo is a revolutionary restroom fighting the dearth of public toilets by addressing the fundamental design flaws of conventional options. Instead of focusing exclusively on the user, the Loo is designed to meet the city’s needs. This one-of-a-kind facility reduces maintenance costs, improves longevity, optimizes aesthetics, and deters crime all while giving all citizens and visitors a safe and dignified place to go.

Unhappy with the availability of public restrooms in your area? Check out these tips for bringing a Portland Loo to your city. Over 20 different cities and three different countries have adopted the Loo to improve the longevity, sustainability, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of their public restrooms. Your city could be next! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.