PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

México's Hidalgo Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Hidalgo

Hidalgo faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.2 million across 84 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.2µg/m³. That's 3.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 252 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 Hidalgo met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1 years longer.

That's 3.2M years of life stolen from 3.2 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 Hidalgo. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Jaltocán
1.4 years lost
2.Tizayuca
1.3 years lost
3.Huejutla de Reyes
1.3 years lost
4.Atlapexco
1.3 years lost
5.Huehuetla
1.3 years lost
6.San Felipe Orizatlán
1.3 years lost
7.Yahualica
1.2 years lost
8.Huazalingo
1.2 years lost
9.Huautla
1.2 years lost
10.Atotonilco de Tula
1.2 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

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

37.7%

1.2M

15-25 µg/m³

62.3%

2.0M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 84 Districts in Hidalgo

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Pachuca de Soto	324K	15.2	1.0 years
Mineral de la Reforma	209K	15.3	1.0 years
Tulancingo de Bravo	174K	13.4	0.8 years
Tizayuca	173K	18.4	1.3 years
Huejutla de Reyes	131K	18.4	1.3 years
Tula de Allende	119K	17.0	1.2 years
Ixmiquilpan	102K	16.5	1.1 years
Tepeji del Río de Ocampo	93K	17.1	1.2 years
Atotonilco de Tula	64K	17.2	1.2 years
Actopan	63K	15.4	1.0 years
Cuautepec de Hinojosa	62K	11.5	0.6 years
Zempoala	60K	14.0	0.9 years
Tepeapulco	58K	14.6	0.9 years
Tezontepec de Aldama	57K	15.2	1.0 years
Huichapan	49K	12.4	0.7 years
Mixquiahuala de Juárez	49K	15.3	1.0 years
Apan	48K	13.1	0.8 years
Acaxochitlán	47K	12.2	0.7 years
Zimapán	41K	14.2	0.9 years
Santiago Tulantepec de Lugo Guer	41K	12.3	0.7 years
San Agustín Tlaxiaca	40K	14.2	0.9 years
San Felipe Orizatlán	40K	18.0	1.3 years
Zacualtipán de Ángeles	39K	12.8	0.8 years
Tecozautla	39K	14.8	1.0 years
Tlanchinol	39K	16.9	1.2 years
San Salvador	38K	15.2	1.0 years
Francisco I. Madero	37K	15.1	1.0 years
Atitalaquia	32K	16.8	1.2 years
Tepehuacán de Guerrero	32K	17.1	1.2 years
Atotonilco el Grande	31K	11.7	0.7 years
Tlaxcoapan	30K	15.7	1.0 years
Yahualica	25K	17.7	1.2 years
Progreso de Obregón	24K	15.5	1.0 years
Zapotlán de Juárez	24K	14.9	1.0 years
Chapulhuacán	24K	16.1	1.1 years
Huehuetla	24K	18.3	1.3 years
Acatlán	23K	12.5	0.7 years
Metztitlán	22K	12.6	0.7 years
Huautla	21K	17.5	1.2 years
El Arenal	20K	15.1	1.0 years
Atlapexco	20K	18.4	1.3 years
Tolcayuca	20K	15.6	1.0 years
Cardonal	20K	13.8	0.9 years
Alfajayucan	20K	13.7	0.9 years
Chilcuautla	19K	15.1	1.0 years
Ajacuba	19K	14.0	0.9 years
Tlahuelilpan	19K	15.5	1.0 years
Pisaflores	19K	16.4	1.1 years
Santiago de Anaya	19K	13.9	0.9 years
Xochiatipan	19K	17.1	1.2 years
San Bartolo Tutotepec	18K	15.8	1.1 years
Huasca de Ocampo	18K	11.0	0.6 years
Tenango de Doria	18K	14.2	0.9 years
Tasquillo	18K	15.6	1.0 years
Nopala de Villagrán	17K	12.5	0.7 years
Calnali	17K	16.1	1.1 years
Epazoyucan	16K	12.5	0.7 years
Emiliano Zapata	16K	13.6	0.8 years
Singuilucan	16K	10.9	0.6 years
Mineral del Monte	15K	11.4	0.6 years
Tianguistengo	15K	14.2	0.9 years
Metepec	13K	14.4	0.9 years
Villa de Tezontepec	13K	16.2	1.1 years
Chapantongo	13K	12.6	0.7 years
Huazalingo	13K	17.6	1.2 years
Almoloya	13K	12.0	0.7 years
Jacala de Ledezma	13K	12.3	0.7 years
Tetepango	12K	14.3	0.9 years
Molango de Escamilla	12K	13.5	0.8 years
Tlanalapa	11K	13.9	0.9 years
Tepetitlán	11K	14.7	0.9 years
Jaltocán	11K	18.8	1.4 years
Agua Blanca de Iturbide	11K	13.4	0.8 years
La Misión	10K	13.3	0.8 years
Lolotla	10K	14.8	1.0 years
San Agustín Metzquititlán	10K	13.1	0.8 years
Omitlán de Juárez	10K	10.6	0.5 years
Tlahuiltepa	9K	13.1	0.8 years
Mineral del Chico	9K	12.7	0.8 years
Xochicoatlán	7K	13.7	0.8 years
Nicolás Flores	6K	11.6	0.6 years
Pacula	5K	11.3	0.6 years
Juárez Hidalgo	3K	12.8	0.8 years
Eloxochitlán	3K	12.5	0.7 years

Showing 84 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Hidalgo is Injurious to Health.