America's 25 Most Ozone-Polluted Metropolitan Areas, 2012

Updated May 8, 2019 | Infoplease Staff

Each year the American Lung Association issues their "State of the Air" report. They track year-round and short-term particle pollution as well as the ozone pollution listed here. Though ozone pollution isn't the obvious, sooty kind of pollution, it can still be harmful to your health. Studies have shown that ozone pollution can worsen conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease.

Rank: City
#1: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
#2: Visalia-Porterville, CA
#3: Bakersfield-Delano, CA
#4: Fresno-Madera, CA
#5: Hanford-Corcoran, CA
#6: Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Yuba City, CA-NV
#7: San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
#8: Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX
#9: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
#10: Merced, CA
#11: Modesto, CA
#12: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
#13: Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV
#14: El Centro, CA
#15: New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
#16: Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD
#16: Chico, CA
#18: Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC
#19: Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ
#20: Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
#21: Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL
#21: Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN
#23: Stockton, CA
#24: Baton Rouge-Pierre Part, LA
#25: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL
Source: State of the Air: 2012, American Lung Association.
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