US metro areas with the worst air pollution

Canva “The Crown” episode “Act of God” recreated for viewers the Great Smog of London, a catastrophic fog of polluted air that settled over the city in the winter of 1952. Sometimes called the Big Smoke, a dense cloud of coal-choked air turned day to night and killed thousands. An almost identical event had already occurred in 1948, in Donora, Pennsylvania. Home to the Donora Zinc Works, Donora was consumed by a dense smog filled with airborne pollutants released during zinc smelting. When the same unusual weather patterns that caused the disaster in Donora materialized in London, scientists knew what was coming but it was too late to act. Following other tragedies in New York and the smoggiest day on record in Los Angeles, the U.S. government passed the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955–the predecessor of the Clean Air Acts. Nixon’s administration established the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 with the mission of enforcing regulations, collaborating with other organizations and sponsors, and educating the public about the hazards of pollution. The EPA has been successful in improving air quality in places like Donora. Burning fossil fuels is the primary cause of both air pollution and climate change. In 2022, wildfires in the West–most of which were human-caused–were also culprits in the most polluted areas. Stacker compiled a list of the metro areas with the worst air pollution in the U.S. using the 2022 American Lung Association’s State of the Air Report. You may also like: How alcohol-related deaths have changed in every state over the past two decades #25 (tie). Augusta, Georgia ESB Professional // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #25 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #25 (tie). Shreveport, Louisiana Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #25 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #24. St. Louis Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #24 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #22 (tie). Chicago Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #22 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: #16 most polluted metropolitan area #22 (tie). Houston Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #22 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: #8 most polluted metropolitan area You may also like: What kind of data is your car collecting about you? #21. Yakima, Washington Real Window Creative // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #21 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #9 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #18 (tie). McAllen, Texas Arbo.lifestyle // Wikimedia Commons – Annual particle pollution: #18 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #18 (tie). Philadelphia Canva – Annual particle pollution: #18 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #18 (tie). Eugene, Oregon Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #18 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #15 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #16 (tie). Detroit Canva – Annual particle pollution: #16 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: #24 most polluted metropolitan area You may also like: Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the road this year, adding more supply chain disruptions #16 (tie). Redding, California Cody Markhart // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #16 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #5 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #23 most polluted metropolitan area #15. Bend, Oregon Ahturner // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #15 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #14. Pittsburgh ESB Professional // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #14 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #22 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #13. Indianapolis Canva – Annual particle pollution: #13 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #12. Cincinnati photo.ua // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #12 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas You may also like: 50 terms with origins in rural America #11. Sacramento, California Johnny Habell // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #11 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #7 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #9 most polluted metropolitan area #10. El Centro, California Cbl62 // Wikimedia Commons – Annual particle pollution: #10 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: Not ranked in top 24 most polluted metropolitan areas – High ozone days: #15 most polluted metropolitan area #9. Chico, California MARELBU // Wikimedia Commons – Annual particle pollution: #9 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #6 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #20 most polluted metropolitan area #8. Phoenix Dreamframer // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #8 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #11 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #5 most polluted metropolitan area #7. Fairbanks, Alaska Canva – Annual particle pollution: #7 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #3 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas You may also like: How driving is subsidized in America #6. Medford, Oregon Ahturner // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #6 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #21 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: Not ranked in top 25 most polluted metropolitan areas #5. Los Angeles Canva – Annual particle pollution: #5 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #8 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #1 most polluted metropolitan area #4. San Jose, California Uladzik Kryhin // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #4 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #4 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #13 most polluted metropolitan area   #2 (tie). Fresno, California Matt Gush // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #2 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #1 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #4 most polluted metropolitan area #2 (tie). Visalia, California Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Annual particle pollution: #2 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #9 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #3 most polluted metropolitan area You may also like: 20 influential Indigenous Americans you might not know about #1. Bakersfield, California Canva – Annual particle pollution: #1 most polluted metropolitan area – High 24-hour particle pollution days: #2 most polluted metropolitan area – High ozone days: #2 most polluted metropolitan area