Air pollution threatens the health of 5.8 million people across 87 districts in Minnesota. The average PM2.5 level is 9.3 µg/m³—1.9× higher than the WHO guideline.
Brought to you by Amrit Sharma
Minnesota faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.8 million across 87 districts at risk.
The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.3µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.
This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 154 cigarettes in a year.
If Minnesota met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.42 years longer.
That's 2.4M years of life stolen from 5.8 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 Minnesota. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.
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.
Complete air quality data for every district in Minnesota, sorted by population.
| District | Population | PM2.5 µg/m³ | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin | 1.5M | 10.1 | 0.5 years |
| Ramsey | 601K | 10.7 | 0.6 years |
| Dakota | 434K | 10.1 | 0.5 years |
| Anoka | 349K | 9.7 | 0.5 years |
| Washington | 254K | 10.3 | 0.5 years |
| Saint Louis | 205K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Olmsted | 179K | 9.3 | 0.4 years |
| Stearns | 166K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Scott | 144K | 9.4 | 0.4 years |
| Wright | 130K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Carver | 101K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Sherburne | 86K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Blue Earth | 73K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Crow Wing | 69K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Rice | 66K | 8.5 | 0.3 years |
| Clay | 60K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Otter Tail | 56K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Winona | 50K | 9.2 | 0.4 years |
| Chisago | 50K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Beltrami | 46K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Goodhue | 46K | 9.0 | 0.4 years |
| Kandiyohi | 45K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Itasca | 43K | 7.3 | 0.2 years |
| Benton | 42K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Douglas | 40K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Mower | 40K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Steele | 39K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Isanti | 37K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| McLeod | 37K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Carlton | 36K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Nicollet | 35K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Becker | 33K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Morrison | 31K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Polk | 30K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Freeborn | 29K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Cass | 28K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Lyon | 28K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Le Sueur | 27K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Brown | 27K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Mille Lacs | 27K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Pine | 26K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Nobles | 23K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Todd | 22K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Meeker | 20K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Martin | 19K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Wabasha | 19K | 9.2 | 0.4 years |
| Hubbard | 19K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Dodge | 18K | 8.7 | 0.4 years |
| Waseca | 18K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Fillmore | 18K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Houston | 17K | 8.8 | 0.4 years |
| Wadena | 15K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Pennington | 15K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Redwood | 15K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Roseau | 15K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Aitkin | 14K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Kanabec | 13K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Renville | 13K | 7.6 | 0.3 years |
| Sibley | 13K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Faribault | 12K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Chippewa | 12K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Koochiching | 12K | 6.5 | 0.1 years |
| Cottonwood | 11K | 7.3 | 0.2 years |
| Stevens | 11K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Watonwan | 10K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Lake | 10K | 7.2 | 0.2 years |
| Pope | 10K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
| Jackson | 10K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Pipestone | 10K | 7.4 | 0.2 years |
| Swift | 9K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Yellow Medicine | 9K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Rock | 9K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Clearwater | 7K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Marshall | 7K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Murray | 7K | 7.5 | 0.2 years |
| Lac qui Parle | 6K | 8.0 | 0.3 years |
| Wilkin | 5K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Norman | 5K | 8.2 | 0.3 years |
| Grant | 5K | 8.3 | 0.3 years |
| Cook | 5K | 6.4 | 0.1 years |
| Mahnomen | 5K | 7.7 | 0.3 years |
| Big Stone | 5K | 8.4 | 0.3 years |
| Lincoln | 4K | 7.9 | 0.3 years |
| Kittson | 4K | 9.1 | 0.4 years |
| Lake of the Woods | 3K | 7.0 | 0.2 years |
| Red Lake | 3K | 7.8 | 0.3 years |
| Traverse | 3K | 8.1 | 0.3 years |
Showing 87 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.