American Lung Association: Air Pollution Facts & Air Quality Info - Best & Worst Cities

air pollution, ozone pollution, air quality, air pollution facts in the State of the Air 2007 report

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Best and Worst Cities

Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Short-term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)
Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
25 Most Ozone-Polluted Cities
25 Counties Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)
25 Counties Most Polluted by Long-Term Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
25 Most Ozone-Polluted Counties
Cleanest U.S. Cities for Short-term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)
Cleanest U.S. Cities for Long-term Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
Cleanest U.S. Cities for Ozone Air Pollution
Cleanest Counties for Short-term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)
Cleanest Counties for Long-term Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
Cleanest Counties for Ozone Air Pollution

Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Short-term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM_2.5)

2007 Rank¹	Metropolitan Statistical Areas
1	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
2	Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
3	Fresno-Madera, CA
4	Bakersfield, CA
5	Logan, UT-ID
6	Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL
7	Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield, UT
8	Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI
9	Eugene-Springfield, OR
10	Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
11	Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
12	Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Truckee, CA-NV
13	Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI
14	Harrisburg-Carlisle-Lebanon, PA
15	San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
16	New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
16	Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN
18	San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
19	Provo-Orem, UT
20	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
21	Fairbanks, AK
22	Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD
22	Hanford-Corcoran, CA
24	Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, KY-IN
24	Visalia-Porterville, CA

(1) Cities are ranked using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan statistical area.

Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution (Annual PM_2.5)

2007 Rank¹	Metropolitan Statistical Areas
1	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
2	Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
3	Bakersfield, CA
4	Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL
4	Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI
6	Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
7	Visalia-Porterville, CA
8	Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN
9	Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN
10	St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL
11	Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI
11	Lancaster, PA
13	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL
14	York-Hanover-Gettysburg, PA
15	Fresno-Madera, CA
15	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
17	Hanford-Corcoran, CA
17	New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
19	Canton-Massillon, OH
20	Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
20	Charleston, WV
22	Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, KY-IN
23	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
24	Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD
24	Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
24	Rome, GA

(1) Cities are ranked using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan statistical area.

25 Most Ozone-Polluted Cities

2007 Rank¹	Metropolitan Statistical Areas
1	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
2	Bakersfield, CA
3	Visalia-Porterville, CA
4	Fresno-Madera, CA
5	Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX
6	Merced, CA
7	Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
8	Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Truckee, CA-NV
9	Baton Rouge-Pierre Part, LA
10	New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
11	Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
12	Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD
13	Hanford-Corcoran, CA
13	Modesto, CA
15	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
16	Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC
17	Las Vegas-Paradise-Pahrump, NV
17	Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI
19	St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL
20	El Centro, CA
20	Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS
20	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
20	Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI
24	Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI
25	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL
25	Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH

(1) Cities are ranked using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan statistical area.

25 Counties Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM_2.5)

2007 Rank¹	County	ST
1	RIVERSIDE	CA
2	ALLEGHENY	PA
3	LOS ANGELES	CA
4	FRESNO	CA
5	KERN	CA
6	CACHE	UT
7	JEFFERSON	AL
8	SALT LAKE	UT
9	WAYNE	MI
10	ORANGE	CA
10	SAN BERNARDINO	CA
12	LANE	OR
13	CUYAHOGA	OH
14	BALTIMORE CITY	MD
15	SACRAMENTO	CA
16	COOK	IL
17	CUMBERLAND	PA
18	SANTA CLARA	CA
19	NEW HAVEN	CT
19	MARION	IN
21	SAN DIEGO	CA
21	UNION	NJ
23	UTAH	UT
23	DAUPHIN	PA
25	JEFFERSON	OH

(1) Counties are ranked by weighted average.

25 Counties Most Polluted by Long-Term Particle Pollution (Annual PM_2.5)

2007 Rank¹	County	ST
1	RIVERSIDE	CA
2	SAN BERNARDINO	CA
3	ALLEGHENY	PA
4	LOS ANGELES	CA
5	KERN	CA
6	JEFFERSON	AL
6	WAYNE	MI
8	CUYAHOGA	OH
9	TULARE	CA
10	HAMILTON	OH
11	MARION	IN
12	MADISON	IL
13	LAKE	IN
13	LANCASTER	PA
15	FULTON	GA
16	YORK	PA
17	FRESNO	CA
17	COOK	IL
17	JEFFERSON	OH
20	KINGS	CA
20	NEW YORK	NY
22	BROOKE	WV
23	STARK	OH
24	BALTIMORE CITY	MD
24	HANCOCK	WV
24	KANAWHA	WV

(1) Counties are ranked by design value.

25 Most Ozone-Polluted Counties

2007 Rank¹	County	ST
1	SAN BERNARDINO	CA
2	KERN	CA
3	RIVERSIDE	CA
4	LOS ANGELES	CA
5	TULARE	CA
6	FRESNO	CA
7	HARRIS	TX
8	MERCED	CA
9	TARRANT	TX
10	SACRAMENTO	CA
11	EL DORADO	CA
12	VENTURA	CA
13	NEVADA	CA
14	PLACER	CA
15	BRAZORIA	TX
16	DALLAS	TX
17	MARIPOSA	CA
18	EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH	LA
19	DENTON	TX
20	FAIRFIELD	CT
21	HARFORD	MD
22	CAMDEN	NJ
22	OCEAN	NJ
24	CALAVERAS	CA
25	KINGS	CA
25	STANISLAUS	CA
25	IBERVILLE PARISH	LA

(1) Counties are ranked by weighted average.

Top 25 Cleanest U.S. Cities for Long-term Particle Pollution (Annual PM_2.5)¹

2007 Rank²	Metropolitan Statistical Area
1	Cheyenne, WY
2	Santa Fe-Espanola, NM
3	Honolulu, HI
4	Great Falls, MT
5	Farmington, NM
6	Flagstaff, AZ
6	Tucson, AZ
8	Anchorage, AK
8	Bismarck, ND
10	Albuquerque, NM
11	Salinas, CA
12	Pueblo, CO
13	Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
14	Rapid City, SD
14	Redding, CA
16	Duluth, MN-WI
16	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
16	Pocatello, ID
19	Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN
19	Midland-Odessa, TX
21	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL
22	Billings, MT
23	Colorado Springs, CO
23	San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
25	Reno-Sparks-Fernley, NV
25	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL

(1) This list represents cities with the lowest levels of annual PM_2.5 air pollution.
(2) Cities are ranked using the highest design value for any county within that metropolitan area.

Top 25 Cleanest Counties for Long-term Particle Pollution (Annual PM_2.5)¹

2007 Rank²	County	State
1	CONVERSE	WY
2	ELBERT	CO
3	LAKE	CA
4	BILLINGS	ND
4	LARAMIE	WY
6	SAN MIGUEL	CO
6	SANTA FE	NM
8	INYO	CA
8	MAUI	HI
10	MC KENZIE	ND
11	HONOLULU	HI
12	JACKSON	SD
13	CASS	MN
14	SCOTTS BLUFF	NE
15	BURKE	ND
15	GRANT	NM
17	CASCADE	MT
17	ASHLAND	WI
19	ESSEX	NY
19	MERCER	ND
19	SAN JUAN	NM
22	COCONINO	AZ
22	PIMA	AZ
22	HANCOCK	ME
25	CAMPBELL	WY

(1) This list represents counties with the lowest levels of monitored long-term PM_2.5 air pollution.
(2) Counties are ranked by Design Value.

The information contained in this American Lung Association® website is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and the Lung Association recommends consultation with your doctor or health care professional.