US Metro Air Quality Rankings

The best and worst metro areas for air quality in the United States

Cleanest Metro Areas

#1Honolulu, HI

AQI 28

PM2.5: 4.5 µg/m³Good days: 320/yr

Trade winds provide constant fresh air circulation

#2Burlington, VT

AQI 32

PM2.5: 5.8 µg/m³Good days: 295/yr

Low population density and strong environmental regulations

#3Bangor, ME

AQI 30

PM2.5: 5.2 µg/m³Good days: 310/yr

Remote northern location with minimal industrial activity

#4Fargo, ND

AQI 34

PM2.5: 5.8 µg/m³Good days: 285/yr

Prairie winds keep air clean year-round

#5Bismarck, ND

AQI 34

PM2.5: 5.5 µg/m³Good days: 300/yr

Very low population density and minimal industry

#6Sioux Falls, SD

AQI 36

PM2.5: 6 µg/m³Good days: 285/yr

Clean Great Plains air with low industrial emissions

#7Cheyenne, WY

AQI 35

PM2.5: 6 µg/m³Good days: 280/yr

High altitude winds disperse pollutants effectively

#8Portland, ME

AQI 32

PM2.5: 5.5 µg/m³Good days: 295/yr

Coastal air and low industrial activity

#9Miami, FL

AQI 38

PM2.5: 6.5 µg/m³Good days: 275/yr

Constant ocean breezes disperse pollutants

#10Orlando, FL

AQI 40

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 260/yr

No heavy industry and good air circulation

#11Minneapolis, MN

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 255/yr

Strong environmental policies and low industrial pollution

#12Charleston, SC

AQI 40

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 260/yr

Coastal breezes maintain clean air

#13Seattle, WA

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7.2 µg/m³Good days: 248/yr

Rain washes pollutants; ocean influence (excludes wildfire days)

#14Tampa, FL

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7.2 µg/m³Good days: 248/yr

Bay breezes help disperse pollution

#15Boston, MA

AQI 45

PM2.5: 7.5 µg/m³Good days: 238/yr

Coastal location and strong regulations

Most Polluted Metro Areas

#1Bakersfield, CA

AQI 95

PM2.5: 18.5 µg/m³Good days: 65/yr

San Joaquin Valley geography traps pollution; agriculture + oil

#2Fresno, CA

AQI 89

PM2.5: 16.8 µg/m³Good days: 80/yr

Valley inversion traps agricultural and wildfire particulates

#3Riverside, CA

AQI 88

PM2.5: 15.8 µg/m³Good days: 85/yr

Receives blown-in LA pollution plus local logistics emissions

#4Los Angeles, CA

AQI 78

PM2.5: 14.2 µg/m³Good days: 118/yr

Basin geography + vehicles + sunny ozone formation

#5Phoenix, AZ

AQI 72

PM2.5: 12.5 µg/m³Good days: 140/yr

Desert dust + extreme heat-driven ozone

#6Salt Lake City, UT

AQI 68

PM2.5: 12 µg/m³Good days: 155/yr

Devastating winter inversions along Wasatch Front

#7Houston, TX

AQI 68

PM2.5: 11.5 µg/m³Good days: 148/yr

Petrochemical complex + hot climate ozone

#8El Paso, TX

AQI 65

PM2.5: 11.2 µg/m³Good days: 155/yr

Desert dust + cross-border industrial pollution

#9Las Vegas, NV

AQI 62

PM2.5: 10.8 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Desert dust + rapid growth construction

#10Detroit, MI

AQI 62

PM2.5: 11.2 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Industrial legacy + cross-border Canadian pollution

#11Pittsburgh, PA

AQI 62

PM2.5: 11.8 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Steel legacy + coke plant emissions + valley geography

#12Birmingham, AL

AQI 60

PM2.5: 10.8 µg/m³Good days: 175/yr

Steel industry legacy + valley inversions

#13Denver, CO

AQI 58

PM2.5: 9.5 µg/m³Good days: 182/yr

Front Range ozone + oil/gas + wildfires

#14Sacramento, CA

AQI 62

PM2.5: 10.5 µg/m³Good days: 175/yr

Valley geography + wildfire smoke impacts

#15Cleveland, OH

AQI 58

PM2.5: 10.5 µg/m³Good days: 182/yr

Industrial legacy + Lake Erie inversions

US Metro Air Quality Rankings

The best and worst metro areas for air quality in the United States

Cleanest Metro Areas

#1Honolulu, HI

AQI 28

PM2.5: 4.5 µg/m³Good days: 320/yr

Trade winds provide constant fresh air circulation

#2Burlington, VT

AQI 32

PM2.5: 5.8 µg/m³Good days: 295/yr

Low population density and strong environmental regulations

#3Bangor, ME

AQI 30

PM2.5: 5.2 µg/m³Good days: 310/yr

Remote northern location with minimal industrial activity

#4Fargo, ND

AQI 34

PM2.5: 5.8 µg/m³Good days: 285/yr

Prairie winds keep air clean year-round

#5Bismarck, ND

AQI 34

PM2.5: 5.5 µg/m³Good days: 300/yr

Very low population density and minimal industry

#6Sioux Falls, SD

AQI 36

PM2.5: 6 µg/m³Good days: 285/yr

Clean Great Plains air with low industrial emissions

#7Cheyenne, WY

AQI 35

PM2.5: 6 µg/m³Good days: 280/yr

High altitude winds disperse pollutants effectively

#8Portland, ME

AQI 32

PM2.5: 5.5 µg/m³Good days: 295/yr

Coastal air and low industrial activity

#9Miami, FL

AQI 38

PM2.5: 6.5 µg/m³Good days: 275/yr

Constant ocean breezes disperse pollutants

#10Orlando, FL

AQI 40

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 260/yr

No heavy industry and good air circulation

#11Minneapolis, MN

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 255/yr

Strong environmental policies and low industrial pollution

#12Charleston, SC

AQI 40

PM2.5: 7 µg/m³Good days: 260/yr

Coastal breezes maintain clean air

#13Seattle, WA

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7.2 µg/m³Good days: 248/yr

Rain washes pollutants; ocean influence (excludes wildfire days)

#14Tampa, FL

AQI 42

PM2.5: 7.2 µg/m³Good days: 248/yr

Bay breezes help disperse pollution

#15Boston, MA

AQI 45

PM2.5: 7.5 µg/m³Good days: 238/yr

Coastal location and strong regulations

Most Polluted Metro Areas

#1Bakersfield, CA

AQI 95

PM2.5: 18.5 µg/m³Good days: 65/yr

San Joaquin Valley geography traps pollution; agriculture + oil

#2Fresno, CA

AQI 89

PM2.5: 16.8 µg/m³Good days: 80/yr

Valley inversion traps agricultural and wildfire particulates

#3Riverside, CA

AQI 88

PM2.5: 15.8 µg/m³Good days: 85/yr

Receives blown-in LA pollution plus local logistics emissions

#4Los Angeles, CA

AQI 78

PM2.5: 14.2 µg/m³Good days: 118/yr

Basin geography + vehicles + sunny ozone formation

#5Phoenix, AZ

AQI 72

PM2.5: 12.5 µg/m³Good days: 140/yr

Desert dust + extreme heat-driven ozone

#6Salt Lake City, UT

AQI 68

PM2.5: 12 µg/m³Good days: 155/yr

Devastating winter inversions along Wasatch Front

#7Houston, TX

AQI 68

PM2.5: 11.5 µg/m³Good days: 148/yr

Petrochemical complex + hot climate ozone

#8El Paso, TX

AQI 65

PM2.5: 11.2 µg/m³Good days: 155/yr

Desert dust + cross-border industrial pollution

#9Las Vegas, NV

AQI 62

PM2.5: 10.8 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Desert dust + rapid growth construction

#10Detroit, MI

AQI 62

PM2.5: 11.2 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Industrial legacy + cross-border Canadian pollution

#11Pittsburgh, PA

AQI 62

PM2.5: 11.8 µg/m³Good days: 168/yr

Steel legacy + coke plant emissions + valley geography

#12Birmingham, AL

AQI 60

PM2.5: 10.8 µg/m³Good days: 175/yr

Steel industry legacy + valley inversions

#13Denver, CO

AQI 58

PM2.5: 9.5 µg/m³Good days: 182/yr

Front Range ozone + oil/gas + wildfires

#14Sacramento, CA

AQI 62

PM2.5: 10.5 µg/m³Good days: 175/yr

Valley geography + wildfire smoke impacts

#15Cleveland, OH

AQI 58

PM2.5: 10.5 µg/m³Good days: 182/yr

Industrial legacy + Lake Erie inversions