Breathing in Baden-Württemberg is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 11.3 million people across 45 districts in Baden-Württemberg. The average PM2.5 level is 7 µg/m³—1.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 11.3 million across 45 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 116 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Baden-Württemberg met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.2 years longer.

That's 2.3M years of life stolen from 11.3 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Baden-Württemberg. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Mannheim
    0.3 years lost
  • 2.Ulm
    0.3 years lost
  • 3.Bodenseekreis
    0.2 years lost
  • 4.Ortenaukreis
    0.2 years lost
  • 5.Bodensee
    0.2 years lost
  • 6.Heilbronn (Stadtkreis)
    0.2 years lost
  • 7.Ludwigsburg
    0.2 years lost
  • 8.Heilbronn
    0.2 years lost
  • 9.Karlsruhe (Stadtkreis)
    0.2 years lost
  • 10.Rastatt
    0.2 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
100%
11.3M
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 45 Districts in Baden-Württemberg

Complete air quality data for every district in Baden-Württemberg, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Stuttgart631K
7.1
0.2 years
Rhein-Neckar-Kreis560K
7.0
0.2 years
Ludwigsburg554K
7.2
0.2 years
Esslingen540K
6.9
0.2 years
Karlsruhe454K
6.9
0.2 years
Ortenaukreis438K
7.4
0.2 years
Rems-Murr-Kreis434K
7.0
0.2 years
Böblingen395K
6.7
0.2 years
Heilbronn353K
7.1
0.2 years
Ostalbkreis318K
6.9
0.2 years
Mannheim315K
8.2
0.3 years
Karlsruhe (Stadtkreis)310K
7.1
0.2 years
Reutlingen291K
6.7
0.2 years
Konstanz291K
6.9
0.2 years
Ravensburg290K
6.7
0.2 years
Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald268K
7.0
0.2 years
Göppingen262K
6.9
0.2 years
Rastatt235K
7.1
0.2 years
Freiburg im Breisgau234K
6.8
0.2 years
Tübingen233K
6.8
0.2 years
Lörrach228K
6.7
0.2 years
Bodenseekreis221K
7.5
0.2 years
Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis216K
6.5
0.1 years
Biberach206K
6.8
0.2 years
Enzkreis205K
6.7
0.2 years
Schwäbisch Hall202K
7.1
0.2 years
Alb-Donau-Kreis202K
7.1
0.2 years
Zollernalbkreis193K
6.5
0.2 years
Waldshut173K
6.4
0.1 years
Emmendingen170K
6.7
0.2 years
Calw163K
6.9
0.2 years
Heidelberg158K
7.0
0.2 years
Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis146K
6.7
0.2 years
Tuttlingen144K
6.4
0.1 years
Rottweil142K
6.6
0.2 years
Main-Tauber-Kreis136K
6.9
0.2 years
Heidenheim135K
7.1
0.2 years
Ulm134K
7.6
0.3 years
Sigmaringen133K
6.4
0.1 years
Heilbronn (Stadtkreis)125K
7.3
0.2 years
Pforzheim124K
6.8
0.2 years
Freudenstadt121K
7.0
0.2 years
Hohenlohekreis115K
7.0
0.2 years
Baden-Baden56K
6.9
0.2 years
Bodensee84
7.3
0.2 years

Showing 45 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.