Breathing in New Jersey is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 9.4 million people across 21 districts in New Jersey. The average PM2.5 level is 8.7 µg/m³—1.7× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in New Jersey

New Jersey faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 9.4 million across 21 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.

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 New Jersey met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.37 years longer.

That's 3.5M years of life stolen from 9.4 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 New Jersey. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Hudson
    0.5 years lost
  • 2.Bergen
    0.4 years lost
  • 3.Passaic
    0.4 years lost
  • 4.Essex
    0.4 years lost
  • 5.Camden
    0.4 years lost
  • 6.Union
    0.4 years lost
  • 7.Burlington
    0.4 years lost
  • 8.Middlesex
    0.4 years lost
  • 9.Gloucester
    0.3 years lost
  • 10.Warren
    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
92.8%
8.7M
10-15 µg/m³
7.2%
674K
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 21 Districts in New Jersey

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Bergen988K
9.4
0.4 years
Middlesex913K
8.7
0.4 years
Essex888K
9.2
0.4 years
Hudson674K
10.1
0.5 years
Monmouth640K
7.6
0.3 years
Ocean585K
7.7
0.3 years
Union578K
9.0
0.4 years
Morris563K
7.8
0.3 years
Camden518K
9.0
0.4 years
Passaic500K
9.4
0.4 years
Burlington472K
8.7
0.4 years
Mercer438K
8.4
0.3 years
Somerset375K
8.2
0.3 years
Gloucester308K
8.5
0.3 years
Atlantic283K
7.6
0.3 years
Cumberland158K
7.9
0.3 years
Sussex131K
7.6
0.3 years
Hunterdon126K
8.0
0.3 years
Warren102K
8.5
0.3 years
Cape May92K
8.3
0.3 years
Salem63K
8.4
0.3 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.