2017-2025
World's most polluted cities
The most polluted cities according to data aggregated from over 80,000 data points.
2025
World Air Quality Report
2025
World Air Quality Report
PM2.5 legend (concentration in μg/m3 categorized by WHO guideline)
0-5Meets WHO guideline
5.1-10Exceeds by 1 to 2 times
10.1-15Exceeds by 2 to 3 times
15.1-25Exceeds by 3 to 5 times
25.1-35Exceeds by 5 to 7 times
35.1-50Exceeds by 7 to 10 times
>50.1Exceeds by over 10 times
| Rank | City | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 |  Canton USA | 6.9 | 5.7 | 8.8 | 6.4 | 9.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1962 | Columbia USA | 6.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1963 | Fredonia USA | 6.9 | 6.3 | 11.4 | 8.9 | 11.1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1964 | Malverne USA | 6.9 | 6.8 | 10.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1965 | New Paltz USA | 6.9 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 10.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1966 | Warrensburg USA | 6.9 | 6.1 | 8.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1967 | West Hempstead USA | 6.9 | 6.8 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1968 | White Plains USA | 6.9 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| 1969 | Cary USA | 6.9 | 7.1 | 10.7 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 9.5 | 12.2 | -- | -- |
| 1970 | Clyde USA | 6.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3 | 8.1 | 3.6 | -- | -- | -- |
| 1971 | Franklin USA | 6.9 | 5.8 | 6.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1972 | Gaston USA | 6.9 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 6.7 | 8.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1973 | Salisbury USA | 6.9 | 7.5 | 11.7 | 10.9 | 13.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1974 | New Salem USA | 6.9 | 6.5 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 5 | 4.9 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| 1975 | Painesville USA | 6.9 | 5.8 | 7.6 | 6.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| 1976 | Canyonville USA | 6.9 | 6.3 | 9.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1977 | Malin USA | 6.9 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 8 | 34.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1978 | Altoona USA | 6.9 | 5.9 | 9.5 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 9.3 | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| 1979 | Bloomsburg USA | 6.9 | 5.9 | 10.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1980 | Freemansburg USA | 6.9 | 6.8 | 10.6 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.8 | 12.8 |
| 1981 | Greensburg USA | 6.9 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 8.2 | 11.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 11.7 |
| 1982 | Harveys Lake USA | 6.9 | 6.7 | 8.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1983 | Cranston USA | 6.9 | 5.7 | 7.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1984 | North Charleston USA | 6.9 | 6.7 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1985 | Columbia USA | 6.9 | 6.2 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 6 | 6.6 | -- | -- |
| 1986 | Loudon USA | 6.9 | 6 | 7.9 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 7.4 | 6.4 | -- |
| 1987 | Austin USA | 6.9 | 7.6 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 10.7 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 8 |
| 1988 | Midland USA | 6.9 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1989 | Front Royal USA | 6.9 | 6.1 | 9.6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1990 | Keysville USA | 6.9 | 7.1 | 7.8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1991 | Lynchburg USA | 6.9 | 6.5 | 9 | 9.7 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1992 | Montclair USA | 6.9 | 7.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1993 | Staunton USA | 6.9 | 6.8 | 10.2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1994 | Chelan USA | 6.9 | 6.5 | 7.8 | 9 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 5.4 | 11.6 | 7.1 |
| 1995 | Cusick USA | 6.9 | 5.7 | 9 | 10.1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1996 | Fairwood USA | 6.9 | 5.9 | 9.2 | 14 | 15.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1997 | Medical Lake USA | 6.9 | 5.7 | 9.6 | 13.9 | 15.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1998 | Spanaway USA | 6.9 | 7.4 | 10.6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1999 | Toppenish USA | 6.9 | 7.7 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 10.2 | 14.9 | 10 | 10.4 | 13.1 |
| 2000 | Montgomery USA | 6.9 | 6.5 | 4.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001 | West Union USA | 6.9 | 6.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2002 | Belgium USA | 6.9 | 5.1 | 9 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 7.1 | -- | -- |
| 2003 |  Clearwater Canada | 6.8 | 16.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2004 | Peachland Canada | 6.8 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 21.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2005 | Hay River Canada | 6.8 | 9 | 20.6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006 | Mont-Blanc Canada | 6.8 | 5.9 | 7.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2007 | Pierreville Canada | 6.8 | 6.5 | 9.2 | 7.1 | 7.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2008 | Riviere-Rouge Canada | 6.8 | 5.7 | 7.2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2009 | Maple Creek Canada | 6.8 | 7.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2010 |  Cabo San Lucas Mexico | 6.8 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
