Air pollution threatens the health of 2.2 million people across 33 districts in New Mexico. The average PM2.5 level is 4.6 Āµg/mĀ³, within the WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³.
Brought to you by Amrit Sharma
New Mexico faces significant air pollution challenges. 12% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.2 million across 33 districts at risk.
The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 4.6Āµg/mĀ³. That's 0.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5Āµg/mĀ³.
This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 76 cigarettes in a year.
If New Mexico met the WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³, the average person would live 0 years longer.
That's 0 years of life stolen from 2.2 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 New Mexico. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.
Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 Āµg/mĀ³āonly populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.
Complete air quality data for every district in New Mexico, sorted by population.
| District | Population | PM2.5 Āµg/mĀ³ | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo | 720K | 4.9 | 0.0 years |
| Dona Ana | 224K | 5.5 | 0.0 years |
| Santa Fe | 159K | 3.5 | 0.0 years |
| Sandoval | 135K | 4.7 | 0.0 years |
| San Juan | 125K | 4.2 | 0.0 years |
| Lea | 77K | 4.3 | 0.0 years |
| McKinley | 73K | 4.0 | 0.0 years |
| Valencia | 71K | 4.7 | 0.0 years |
| Otero | 67K | 4.5 | 0.0 years |
| Chaves | 64K | 4.6 | 0.0 years |
| Eddy | 64K | 4.9 | 0.0 years |
| Curry | 49K | 4.1 | 0.0 years |
| Rio Arriba | 37K | 4.2 | 0.0 years |
| Taos | 34K | 3.6 | 0.0 years |
| Grant | 28K | 4.1 | 0.0 years |
| Cibola | 27K | 4.4 | 0.0 years |
| San Miguel | 27K | 3.0 | 0.0 years |
| Luna | 26K | 5.5 | 0.1 years |
| Los Alamos | 24K | 3.5 | 0.0 years |
| Lincoln | 20K | 4.0 | 0.0 years |
| Roosevelt | 19K | 4.0 | 0.0 years |
| Socorro | 16K | 4.4 | 0.0 years |
| Torrance | 14K | 3.1 | 0.0 years |
| Colfax | 12K | 3.4 | 0.0 years |
| Sierra | 12K | 6.0 | 0.1 years |
| Quay | 9K | 3.4 | 0.0 years |
| Guadalupe | 5K | 2.7 | 0.0 years |
| Hidalgo | 4K | 6.4 | 0.1 years |
| Union | 4K | 3.8 | 0.0 years |
| Mora | 3K | 3.1 | 0.0 years |
| Catron | 3K | 5.0 | 0.0 years |
| Debaca | 1K | 2.8 | 0.0 years |
| Harding | 568 | 3.1 | 0.0 years |
Showing 33 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³.