Breathing in Maryland is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 6.1 million people across 23 districts in Maryland. The average PM2.5 level is 8.6 µg/m³—1.7× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Maryland

Maryland faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 6.1 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.6µg/m³. That's 1.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 143 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 Maryland met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.34 years longer.

That's 2.1M years of life stolen from 6.1 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

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

  • 1.Washington
    0.4 years lost
  • 2.Baltimore
    0.4 years lost
  • 3.Frederick
    0.4 years lost
  • 4.Allegany
    0.4 years lost
  • 5.Queen Anne's
    0.4 years lost
  • 6.Anne Arundel
    0.4 years lost
  • 7.Prince George's
    0.3 years lost
  • 8.Garrett
    0.3 years lost
  • 9.Talbot
    0.3 years lost
  • 10.Carroll
    0.3 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%
6.1M
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 23 Districts in Maryland

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Baltimore1.5M
9.3
0.4 years
Montgomery1.0M
8.3
0.3 years
Prince George's893K
8.5
0.3 years
Anne Arundel589K
8.6
0.4 years
Howard344K
8.1
0.3 years
Frederick275K
9.1
0.4 years
Harford250K
8.3
0.3 years
Carroll161K
8.4
0.3 years
Washington161K
9.4
0.4 years
Charles143K
7.6
0.3 years
Saint Mary's113K
7.8
0.3 years
Wicomico110K
7.8
0.3 years
Cecil99K
8.3
0.3 years
Calvert79K
7.7
0.3 years
Allegany69K
8.7
0.4 years
Worcester52K
7.9
0.3 years
Queen Anne's44K
8.7
0.4 years
Talbot37K
8.5
0.3 years
Caroline31K
7.8
0.3 years
Dorchester30K
8.2
0.3 years
Garrett27K
8.5
0.3 years
Somerset24K
7.8
0.3 years
Kent18K
8.4
0.3 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.