Breathing in Michoacán is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 4.9 million people across 113 districts in Michoacán. The average PM2.5 level is 15.2 µg/m³—3.0× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Michoacán

Michoacán faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.9 million across 113 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 Michoacán met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.01 years longer.

That's 4.9M years of life stolen from 4.9 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

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

  • 1.Apatzingán
    1.3 years lost
  • 2.Múgica
    1.3 years lost
  • 3.Buenavista
    1.2 years lost
  • 4.Maravatío
    1.2 years lost
  • 5.Parácuaro
    1.2 years lost
  • 6.Zitácuaro
    1.2 years lost
  • 7.Contepec
    1.2 years lost
  • 8.Álvaro Obregón
    1.2 years lost
  • 9.Morelia
    1.2 years lost
  • 10.Los Reyes
    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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
1%
51K
10-15 µg/m³
36.6%
1.8M
15-25 µg/m³
62.3%
3.0M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 113 Districts in Michoacán

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Morelia875K
16.8
1.2 years
Uruapan368K
16.5
1.1 years
Zamora211K
16.4
1.1 years
Lázaro Cárdenas199K
11.8
0.7 years
Zitácuaro162K
17.2
1.2 years
Apatzingán130K
17.8
1.3 years
Hidalgo130K
15.3
1.0 years
Tarímbaro118K
15.9
1.1 years
La Piedad110K
15.1
1.0 years
Pátzcuaro101K
13.3
0.8 years
Maravatío92K
17.5
1.2 years
Tacámbaro82K
14.6
0.9 years
Los Reyes81K
16.8
1.2 years
Sahuayo81K
14.9
1.0 years
Zacapu79K
12.5
0.7 years
Puruándiro71K
12.7
0.8 years
Jacona71K
16.3
1.1 years
Salvador Escalante51K
13.1
0.8 years
Zinapécuaro51K
15.6
1.0 years
Múgica47K
17.8
1.3 years
Buenavista47K
17.6
1.2 years
Huetamo43K
14.6
0.9 years
Chilchota42K
12.4
0.7 years
Paracho41K
12.7
0.8 years
Ario37K
13.2
0.8 years
Jiquilpan37K
13.3
0.8 years
Tangancícuaro36K
14.3
0.9 years
Contepec36K
16.9
1.2 years
Tancítaro34K
14.9
1.0 years
Nahuatzen34K
12.9
0.8 years
Yurécuaro33K
16.4
1.1 years
Tangamandapio33K
11.2
0.6 years
La Huacana32K
14.3
0.9 years
Cuitzeo31K
15.0
1.0 years
Peribán30K
16.2
1.1 years
Turicato30K
12.5
0.7 years
Tlalpujahua29K
14.6
0.9 years
Quiroga28K
12.9
0.8 years
Parácuaro28K
17.3
1.2 years
José Sixto Verduzco27K
15.3
1.0 years
Tuxpan27K
15.9
1.1 years
Charo26K
14.9
1.0 years
Ocampo26K
15.5
1.0 years
Aquila25K
9.2
0.4 years
Tepalcatepec25K
16.0
1.1 years
Venustiano Carranza24K
15.1
1.0 years
Álvaro Obregón24K
16.9
1.2 years
Gabriel Zamora22K
16.6
1.1 years
Pajacuarán22K
13.9
0.9 years
Vista Hermosa22K
16.4
1.1 years
Nuevo Parangaricutiro22K
15.8
1.1 years
Coeneo22K
11.7
0.7 years
Cherán21K
12.6
0.7 years
Arteaga21K
10.4
0.5 years
Cotija21K
12.2
0.7 years
Jungapeo20K
16.6
1.1 years
Senguio20K
14.5
0.9 years
Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares20K
9.4
0.4 years
Madero20K
13.9
0.9 years
Ziracuaretiro19K
16.1
1.1 years
Indaparapeo19K
16.4
1.1 years
San Lucas18K
15.4
1.0 years
Coahuayana18K
11.1
0.6 years
Penjamillo17K
12.9
0.8 years
Tingambato17K
14.2
0.9 years
Epitacio Huerta17K
14.8
1.0 years
Irimbo17K
13.6
0.8 years
Villamar16K
12.6
0.7 years
Erongarícuaro16K
13.8
0.9 years
Taretan16K
16.3
1.1 years
Tanhuato16K
15.9
1.1 years
Purépero16K
12.1
0.7 years
Angamacutiro15K
14.8
1.0 years
Juárez15K
16.4
1.1 years
Tingüindín15K
12.9
0.8 years
Tzintzuntzan15K
12.6
0.7 years
Panindícuaro15K
11.9
0.7 years
Aguililla15K
12.9
0.8 years
Tuzantla15K
14.8
1.0 years
Ixtlán15K
14.7
1.0 years
Marcos Castellanos14K
10.3
0.5 years
Queréndaro14K
16.6
1.1 years
Charapan14K
11.8
0.7 years
Jiménez13K
12.2
0.7 years
Tiquicheo de Nicolás Romero13K
13.1
0.8 years
Santa Ana Maya13K
15.5
1.0 years
Churumuco13K
13.8
0.9 years
Tocumbo13K
14.3
0.9 years
Ecuandureo12K
14.0
0.9 years
Briseñas12K
16.7
1.1 years
Huandacareo12K
12.7
0.7 years
Acuitzio12K
12.5
0.7 years
Angangueo11K
14.4
0.9 years
Cojumatlán de Régules11K
15.1
1.0 years
Chavinda11K
13.5
0.8 years
Copándaro10K
13.6
0.8 years
Numarán10K
15.1
1.0 years
Carácuaro9K
12.3
0.7 years
Susupuato9K
15.3
1.0 years
Nuevo Urecho9K
15.7
1.0 years
Huiramba9K
12.4
0.7 years
Tzitzio9K
15.5
1.0 years
Nocupétaro8K
13.0
0.8 years
Morelos8K
11.3
0.6 years
Huaniqueo8K
11.4
0.6 years
Tlazazalca7K
11.8
0.7 years
Tumbiscatío6K
11.0
0.6 years
Lagunillas6K
12.4
0.7 years
Churintzio5K
11.5
0.6 years
Chucándiro5K
11.7
0.7 years
Chinicuila5K
8.7
0.4 years
Aporo4K
13.9
0.9 years
Zináparo3K
12.5
0.7 years

Showing 113 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.