Breathing in Baja California is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 3.9 million people across 5 districts in Baja California. The average PM2.5 level is 9.7 µg/m³—1.9× higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Baja California

Baja California faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.9 million across 5 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.7µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 161 cigarettes in a year.

Air Quality Trend

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

Life Expectancy Impact

If Baja California met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.48 years longer.

That's 1.9M years of life stolen from 3.9 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 5 most polluted districts in Baja California. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Tijuana
    0.6 years lost
  • 2.Mexicali
    0.5 years lost
  • 3.Playas de Rosarito
    0.4 years lost
  • 4.Tecate
    0.1 years lost
  • 5.Ensenada
    0.1 years lost

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
48.7%
1.9M
10-15 µg/m³
51.3%
2.0M
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 5 Districts in Baja California

Complete air quality data for every district in Baja California, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Tijuana2.0M
10.9
0.6 years
Mexicali1.1M
9.7
0.5 years
Ensenada576K
5.8
0.1 years
Playas de Rosarito128K
9.5
0.4 years
Tecate106K
6.5
0.1 years

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