Breathing in South Carolina is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 5.4 million people across 46 districts in South Carolina. The average PM2.5 level is 8 µg/m³—1.6× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in South Carolina

South Carolina faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.4 million across 46 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 133 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 South Carolina met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.28 years longer.

That's 1.5M years of life stolen from 5.4 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 South Carolina. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Greenville
    0.4 years lost
  • 2.Spartanburg
    0.3 years lost
  • 3.Anderson
    0.3 years lost
  • 4.Lexington
    0.3 years lost
  • 5.Richland
    0.3 years lost
  • 6.York
    0.3 years lost
  • 7.Beaufort
    0.3 years lost
  • 8.Pickens
    0.3 years lost
  • 9.Greenwood
    0.3 years lost
  • 10.Aiken
    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%
5.4M
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 46 Districts in South Carolina

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Greenville586K
9.5
0.4 years
Richland476K
8.2
0.3 years
Charleston475K
8.0
0.3 years
Horry379K
7.3
0.2 years
Spartanburg359K
8.5
0.3 years
Lexington302K
8.2
0.3 years
York281K
8.2
0.3 years
Berkeley224K
7.7
0.3 years
Anderson208K
8.3
0.3 years
Beaufort196K
8.1
0.3 years
Aiken173K
8.1
0.3 years
Florence147K
6.9
0.2 years
Dorchester146K
7.5
0.2 years
Pickens133K
8.1
0.3 years
Sumter110K
7.0
0.2 years
Lancaster95K
7.7
0.3 years
Orangeburg85K
6.8
0.2 years
Oconee79K
7.8
0.3 years
Greenwood74K
8.1
0.3 years
Georgetown70K
7.0
0.2 years
Laurens65K
7.7
0.3 years
Kershaw62K
7.2
0.2 years
Darlington61K
6.8
0.2 years
Cherokee57K
7.5
0.2 years
Chesterfield42K
7.2
0.2 years
Newberry38K
7.7
0.3 years
Colleton35K
6.7
0.2 years
Chester32K
7.3
0.2 years
Jasper31K
7.3
0.2 years
Clarendon30K
6.6
0.2 years
Williamsburg30K
6.3
0.1 years
Dillon28K
6.4
0.1 years
Marion27K
6.3
0.1 years
Marlboro27K
6.9
0.2 years
Union27K
7.4
0.2 years
Edgefield24K
7.8
0.3 years
Abbeville23K
7.6
0.3 years
Barnwell21K
7.0
0.2 years
Fairfield19K
7.3
0.2 years
Hampton17K
6.8
0.2 years
Saluda17K
7.5
0.2 years
Lee16K
6.8
0.2 years
Calhoun13K
6.8
0.2 years
Bamberg13K
6.7
0.2 years
McCormick9K
8.0
0.3 years
Allendale8K
6.8
0.2 years

Showing 46 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.