Updated August 2026
Cleanest beaches in the US by water quality
Bowman's Beach in Lee County, Florida currently leads this list — Grade A, 0% of samples over the EPA limit across 687 results. Of 3,000 graded beaches, 38% earn an A. The top 50 span 12 states, led by Florida with 17. Letters use multi-year EPA samples; they are not a same-day swim clearance.
Grade labels: Excellent (A) through Failing (F). A letter is a multi-year bacteria record, not a same-day swim clearance.
Want a state-only list? Each state page ranks that state’s beaches the same way — start with beaches by state or best beaches in Florida. The inverse list — beaches whose samples exceed the limit most often — is beaches that flag advisories most.
State rankings on this list
Frequently Asked Questions
Bowman's Beach in Lee County, Florida currently ranks first among high-confidence Grade A beaches, with 0% of 687 bacteria samples over the EPA Beach Action Value.
A Beach Safety Grade of A means bacteria samples almost never exceeded the EPA Beach Action Value — Enterococcus 104 CFU/100 mL at saltwater and Great Lakes beaches, or E. coli 235 CFU/100 mL at other freshwater beaches. This list further requires a high-confidence grade: enough samples, more than one monitoring station, and recent results.
Of 3,000 graded beaches, 1,136 (38%) earn an A. The table shows the 50 with the strongest evidence and the lowest exceedance rates.
No. An A grade is a multi-year record, not a same-day clearance. Bacteria spike after heavy rain. Always check the official state or county advisory before you swim.
Know before you go
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