Least Polluted Cities In The U.S. Ranked In State Of The Air 2012

Are you and your neighbors breathing healthy air?

American Lung Association has released their State Of The Air 2012 report, detailing cities with the least and most air pollution in America. Each city is ranked by ozone pollution, short-term particle pollution, and year-long particle pollution.

Below are the report's "Top 25 Least Polluted Cities By Year-Round Particle Pollution." Although many problem regions still exist, the report shows that all but three of the most ozone-polluted cities improved air quality, and over 50% of the worst smog-makers were having their best year thus far.

However, America’s air is far from perfect. You can view some of the country's most polluted cities by clicking here.

Click here to read more about the 2012 report, or visit the SOTA website.

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• Santa Fe-Espanola, NM

• Cheyenne, WY

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/2897070571/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of cliff1066™</a></em>

• Prescott, AZ

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/power_on/2136991866/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of poweron</a></em>

• Tucson, AZ

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasa/4998035436/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of pasa47</a></em>

• Albuquerque, NM

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtungate/4412357949/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of mtungate</a></em>

• Redding, CA

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/4739507984/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Alaskan Dude</a></em>

• Colorado Springs, CO

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timpearcelosgatos/5272484977/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Tim Pearce, Los Gatos</a></em>

• Flagstaff, AZ

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/st_a_sh/474301127/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of St_A_Sh</a></em>

• Anchorage, AK

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/izik/2784075983/sizes/o/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of izik</a></em>

• Boise City-Nampa, ID

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/boisechamber/3926685695/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Boise Metro Chamber</a></em>

• Salinas, CA

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jillclardy/2566262898/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Jill Clardy</a></em>

• Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/charkes/3638882229/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of charkesw</a></em>

• Rapid City, SD

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16894927@N08/2912793258/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of todd.vision</a></em>

• Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33707373@N03/4673135258/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Handmade Image</a></em>

• Claremont-Lebanon, NH-VT

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/2968628662/sizes/o/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Dougtone</a></em>

• Sarasota-Bradenton-Punta Gorda, FL

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/3001901992/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of eschipul</a></em>

• Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rusty_clark/7062586669/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Rusty Clark</a></em>

• Bismarck, ND

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiedfw/4845305408/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of jimbowen0306</a></em>

• Duluth, MN-WI

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84263554@N00/5171864183/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of kla4067</a></em>

• Burlington-South Burlington, VT

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/redjar/113506183/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of redjar</a></em>

• Bangor, ME

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/suckamc/6193799202/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Martin Cathrae</a></em>

• Gainesville, FL

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/naufragio/4231560/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Naufragio</a></em>

• El Centro, CA

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joebielawa/4565452047/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of Joe Bielawa</a></em>

• Honolulu, HI

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/snowpeak/7109721751/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of snowpeak</a></em>

• Port St. Lucie-Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL

  <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelhays/2084602699/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr image courtesy of michaelwhays</a></em>

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Comments

[Daniel Jackson Freed]

04:38 PM on 12/18/2012

I am pleasantly surprised that Gainesville, FL made the list for the top 25 least polluted cities in regards to air quality (4 other cities in Florida made the list too!). I suppose it's not too surprising, considering the tree density here; nevertheless, I'll now feel much more comfortable exercising outside after reading this article.

[Sandy Watts Kennedy]

08:20 PM on 11/11/2012

What a bunch of greenwash! Gainesville, FL is NOT a clean city. It is in fact dangerously contaminated with dioxin (think agent orange), arsenic, PAH's and other deadly chemicals that have migrated into our air, soil, drinking water and homes from the Cabot/Koppers Superfund site just north of downtown. The rate of birth defects, miscarriages, cancers and other maladies caused by long-term toxic exposure here is through the roof and suffering residents have been protesting for decades, but this information is suppressed. EPA Region 4 and other government agencies promote their financial interests and those of Beazer East, the entity responsible for cleanup, instead of protecting local families and University of Florida students (see koppersgaineville.com for more information).

[Ham Chris]

10:39 AM on 07/31/2012

why are th epoorest countries producing the most pollution

[Amalek]

09:21 PM on 05/17/2012

Denver used to fight with LA for the worst air in the US.  The fact that Colorado Springs and Ft Collins now make the best list, with Denver completely off the worst list, is quite an achievement.

[Amalek]

09:19 PM on 05/17/2012

Greeley has the smelliest air.

[eyelashviper]

05:53 PM on 05/16/2012

Florida has clean air partly because it is a peninsula, and has fairly consistent breezes moving over it, along with the fact that there is not a lot of heavy industry, just lots of cars...

[kevman08]

11:39 AM on 05/15/2012

Not surprised it was mostly under developed or developing nations that are the most polluted. I was surprised there weren't any Chinese cities on there. Developing nations are stricken to a resource curse where the rest of the developed world has something you want and will pay for it. Of course most of the benefits of those rewards goes to the very few who are in power and almost none of it goes to help the people or to the people in those regions.

[Lwayno]

07:37 AM on 05/15/2012

Clean Air? "I don't got to show you no clear air! Gringo!
p.s. If you do not test for air quality, mercury etc! Then your air must be clean! RIGHT??
Pueblo, Colorado a.k.a. Phew-Town

[mglovert]

08:23 PM on 05/14/2012

Help! I can't access the 25 least polluted U.S. cities. The 10 worst comes up no matter what I click on.

[Reno Fickler]

05:12 PM on 05/14/2012

I spent the last 25 years in Denver as the owner of an independent emissisions station. With E testing and the advent of OBD2 (a fuel delivery/ignition computer system that became madatory on cars in 1996) we went from 242 days (2 out of 3)of "non-compliance" of federal air standards per year in 1982 to a handful or less (couple of years were 0) by last year. We are still a bit weak in 'particulates' and 'ozone' but on on way there, too. Our days of not being able to see 50 story buildings from 5 miles away are long gone. It can be done. Next year I hope we are on the list like Ft Collins/Longmont was (50 miles north of Denver).

[katielambert96]

02:14 PM on 05/14/2012

I am from Melbourne, Florida and I'm glad to see it on the list! Home sweet home... It's the saltwater clearing the air :)

[Scott Howes]

01:27 PM on 05/14/2012

To be part of the Solution for Clean Air is education training this will give you the strength for passion and knowledge skills abilities is forward thinking vision is experience. Clear Clean Air this is the development to live health and safer. Safety and Wellbeing is each person desire to live longer, be part of a more stability to be empowered for safer work methods. I have Video Online Training on Clean Air www.isoclasses.com I have 940 classes I can help

[disporting]

01:17 PM on 05/14/2012

We need to roll back some of these regulations so they can get dirty like the rest of this country!

[GraniteSkyline]

01:16 PM on 05/14/2012

Wow! Cities with virtually no heavy industry have the cleanest air! Shocking.

[davesf]

01:14 PM on 05/14/2012

I'm sorry, but Salinas? The heart of farm country, how is that possible?