One-third of Americans Live in Areas with Unhealthy Air

Last week, the American Lung Association released its 2023 “State of the Air” report and found that nearly one-third of Americans—120 million people—live in counties with unhealthy air. Unhealthy air can lead to poor quality of life and health problems, impacting people of all ages.

One of the surefire ways to help yourself and your family is to move to an area with better air quality; however, air quality issues disproportionately impact communities of color, and asking those communities to relocate does not solve the problem. People of color have a high chance (64%) of living in a county with failing air quality.

“Climate change is impacting the East differently than the West,” Katherine Pruitt, the lead author and editor of the report, told The Washington Post. “The heat and drought in the West are driving pollution.”

According to the American Lung Association report, “Climate change is making the job of cleaning up the air more difficult.” But legislation can help. In fact, the Clean Air Act has improved the air quality for millions of people and is contributing to falling ozone levels. But still, more people are living in counties with dangerous air quality than ever before.

SafeWise recently released its report for the cities with the best air quality in the U.S. All seven cities are on the east coast—except for Honolulu, which is off the Pacific Coast. 

North Carolina overwhelmingly tops the list with three cities in the top seven: Asheville, Greenville, and Wilmington. But even if your city isn’t on the list, you can improve your air quality with HEPA air purifiers that filter air and reduce particle pollution like pollen, dust, and dander in the air.

So, why is it important to reduce particle pollution? Air pollution particles can increase the risk of lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and emergency room visits. Air purifiers in the home can reduce particle pollution in your living space. Unfortunately, environmental factors, like wildfire smoke, contribute to outdoor particle air pollution outdoors, making it harder to regulate.

An interesting call-out from the recent SafeWise list is that many cities joined due to Clean Air Campaigns, including Asheville, North Carolina (coming in at #1), Lincoln, Nebraska (#4), Rochester, New York (#5), and Honolulu, Hawaii.

Cities in the west—primarily in California, Nevada, Alaska, and Arizona—topped the list for the worst air quality in the U.S.

• 7 Cities with the Best Air Quality in the U.S.
• The Best Air Purifiers
• How to Test Air Quality in the Home
• State of Safety in the US