Air pollution threatens the health of 3.1 million people across 75 districts in Arkansas. The average PM2.5 level is 8.7 µg/m³—1.7× higher than the WHO guideline.
Brought to you by Amrit Sharma
Arkansas faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.1 million across 75 districts at risk.
The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.7µg/m³. That's 1.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.
This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 144 cigarettes in a year.
If Arkansas met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.36 years longer.
That's 1.1M years of life stolen from 3.1 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.
Lives cut short. Breathing kills.
The top 10 most polluted districts in Arkansas. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.
Complete air quality data for every district in Arkansas, sorted by population.
| District | Population | PM2.5 µg/m³ | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski | 464K | 9.6 | 0.4 years |
| Benton | 303K | 9.2 | 0.4 years |
| Washington | 261K | 9.1 | 0.4 years |
| Sebastian | 143K | 9.3 | 0.4 years |
| Faulkner | 123K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Craighead | 119K | 9.1 | 0.4 years |
| Saline | 111K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Garland | 104K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| White | 78K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Jefferson | 70K | 8.9 | 0.4 years |
| Lonoke | 67K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Pope | 67K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Crawford | 59K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Crittenden | 48K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Greene | 46K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Baxter | 43K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Mississippi | 42K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Union | 42K | 9.1 | 0.4 years |
| Independence | 40K | 7.2 | 0.2 years |
| Miller | 39K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Boone | 39K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Hot Spring | 32K | 8.6 | 0.3 years |
| Carroll | 27K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Johnson | 26K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Cleburne | 24K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Columbia | 24K | 8.9 | 0.4 years |
| Saint Francis | 23K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Clark | 23K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Ouachita | 22K | 8.6 | 0.3 years |
| Poinsett | 21K | 8.9 | 0.4 years |
| Conway | 21K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Hempstead | 20K | 8.6 | 0.4 years |
| Yell | 20K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Logan | 20K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Ashley | 19K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Polk | 19K | 8.6 | 0.4 years |
| Randolph | 19K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Arkansas | 18K | 8.6 | 0.4 years |
| Jackson | 17K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Drew | 17K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Phillips | 17K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Grant | 17K | 8.6 | 0.3 years |
| Franklin | 17K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Cross | 16K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Sevier | 16K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Sharp | 16K | 6.8 | 0.2 years |
| Lawrence | 16K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Marion | 16K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Van Buren | 15K | 7.2 | 0.2 years |
| Madison | 14K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Howard | 14K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Clay | 13K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Izard | 13K | 6.9 | 0.2 years |
| Lincoln | 13K | 8.6 | 0.4 years |
| Desha | 11K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Stone | 11K | 7.0 | 0.2 years |
| Little River | 11K | 8.9 | 0.4 years |
| Fulton | 11K | 6.9 | 0.2 years |
| Bradley | 10K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Chicot | 10K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Scott | 9K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Pike | 9K | 8.6 | 0.3 years |
| Lee | 8K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Perry | 8K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Montgomery | 8K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Nevada | 7K | 8.6 | 0.4 years |
| Prairie | 7K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Searcy | 7K | 7.1 | 0.2 years |
| Monroe | 6K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Cleveland | 6K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Dallas | 6K | 8.6 | 0.3 years |
| Woodruff | 6K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Lafayette | 6K | 8.9 | 0.4 years |
| Calhoun | 6K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Newton | 6K | 7.1 | 0.2 years |
Showing 75 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.