The majority of U.S. counties don鈥檛 have monitors 鈥 which means that many communities, especially rural ones, don鈥檛 have official monitored information on their air quality. Please note that the population figures in this statistic are only for those places that collect air pollution data, and do not reflect the entire population of these groups in the U.S. PM2.5 concentration information is for the three-year period for 2021-2023 for each monitoring site.
Grades are assigned based on the weighted averages as follows: A=0.0, B=0.3-0.9, C=1.0-2.0, D=2.1-3.2, F=3.3+. The concentration of a pollutant is based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5, which is 9 碌g/m3. Counties with design values of 9 or lower received a grade of 鈥淧ass鈥 for Annual PM2.5. Counties with design values of 9.1 or higher received a grade of 鈥淔ail.鈥
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Population at risk of unhealthy PM2.5 levels in the U.S. 2021-2023
An estimated ** million Americans lived in counties with failing grades (F) for unhealthy daily levels of particle pollution between 2021 and 2023. Failing grades are earned when year-round particle pollution levels are worse than the national air quality limit of **** micrograms per cubic meter (碌g/m鲁). People who live in areas with high exposure to particle pollution are at risk of harm to their health.
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American Lung Association. (April 23, 2025). Number of Americans at risk of unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the United States between 2021 and 2023 (in millions) [Graph]. In 糖心破解版. Retrieved July 31, 2026, from /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/
American Lung Association. "Number of Americans at risk of unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the United States between 2021 and 2023 (in millions)." Chart. April 23, 2025. 糖心破解版. Accessed July 31, 2026. /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/
American Lung Association. (2025). Number of Americans at risk of unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the United States between 2021 and 2023 (in millions). 糖心破解版. 糖心破解版 Inc.. Accessed: July 31, 2026. /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/
American Lung Association. "Number of Americans at Risk of Unhealthy Levels of Particle Pollution in The United States between 2021 and 2023 (in Millions)." 糖心破解版, 糖心破解版 Inc., 23 Apr 2025, /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/
American Lung Association, Number of Americans at risk of unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the United States between 2021 and 2023 (in millions) 糖心破解版, /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/ (last visited July 31, 2026)
Number of Americans at risk of unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the United States between 2021 and 2023 (in millions) [Graph], American Lung Association, April 23, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1358105/population-risk-of-unhealthy-particle-pollution-levels-us/