10 Cities With Best Air Quality in the U.S.

Below you can find the list of 10 U.S. cities with the best air quality. For a detailed coverage of this topic and a more comprehensive list of cities please see this article.

10. Duluth, MN-WI

PM 2.5: 5.5

PM 10: 81

While air is healthy to breathe most of the time, Duluth has certain bad air quality days in the year. PM 10 pollutant levels are also on the higher side.

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9. Amarillo, TX

PM 2.5: 5.2

PM 10 – ND

Amarillo has fairly low particle pollutants in its air, and the Air Quality Index touches 74%. The dust in the cities surroundings is inevitable and it does have its bad air days, but even then the bad the pollution causing irritants are quite low. 

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8. Colorado Springs, CO

PM 2.5 – 5

PM 10 – 32

Air quality Index in Colorado Springs is as high as 88.3%, which is quite satisfactory. The city is largely smog free, thanks to the Palmer Divide that acts as a smog filter. 

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7. Claremont-Lebanon, NH-VT

PM 2.5 – 4.9

PM 10 – ND

The micropolitan area is predominated by good quality air.  Air quality is quite suitable for most people, with low levels of pollutants whether particulate matter or ozone. 

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6. Bremerton-Silverdale, WA

PM 2.5 – 4.9

PM 10 – ND

The city has pretty low levels of particle pollution and also low levels of ozone. Overall livability of the city is high with an abundance of scenic views and nature. 

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5. Bellingham, WA

PM 2.5 – 4.6

PM 10 – ND

The coastal city has satisfactory air quality with PM 2.5 at only 4.6. However the city has experienced unhealthy air days owing to wildfire smoke. 

4. Urban Honolulu, HI

PM 2.5 – 3.9

PM 10 – 32

The American Lung Association in its report “State of the Air” for 2019, found Urban Honolulu to have  one of the cleanest air in the U.S.  The city had zero unhealthy days for ozone pollution. 

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3. Sioux Falls, SD

PM 2.5 – 3.9

PM 10 – 37

The air is moderately clean in the city and acceptable for most individuals who don’t have severe allergies. 

2. Tucson, AZ

PM 2.5 – 3.8

PM 10 – 139 

While PM2.5 levels are quite low in the city, coarser PM 10 pollutants are found in quite high levels. However, these particles are not as harmful as the fine dust PM 2.5. The dry and humid climate in the region contributes to clean and fresh air. 

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1. Manchester-Nashua, NH

PM 2.5 – 3

PM 10 – ND

With PM 2.5 levels of only 3 (µg/m3) , Manchester-Nashua in New Hampshire has moderately good air quality. Apart from having great quality of air, the city is also quite favourable in terms of affordability and overall livability. This makes the city one of the top 30 cities with the best air quality in the US. 

See also 11 least polluted countries in the world and 12 countries with the dirtiest air in the world.

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