Breathing in Vermont is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 661 thousand people across 14 districts in Vermont. The average PM2.5 level is 6.7 µg/m³—1.3× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Vermont

Vermont faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 661 thousand across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.7µg/m³. That's 1.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 111 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 Vermont met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.19 years longer.

That's 126K years of life stolen from 661 thousand 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 Vermont. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Washington
    0.2 years lost
  • 2.Orange
    0.2 years lost
  • 3.Orleans
    0.2 years lost
  • 4.Lamoille
    0.2 years lost
  • 5.Chittenden
    0.2 years lost
  • 6.Addison
    0.2 years lost
  • 7.Windsor
    0.2 years lost
  • 8.Bennington
    0.2 years lost
  • 9.Grand Isle
    0.2 years lost
  • 10.Rutland
    0.2 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%
661K
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 14 Districts in Vermont

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Chittenden188K
6.8
0.2 years
Washington64K
6.9
0.2 years
Rutland63K
6.7
0.2 years
Windsor57K
6.8
0.2 years
Franklin48K
6.6
0.2 years
Windham47K
6.2
0.1 years
Bennington40K
6.7
0.2 years
Addison36K
6.8
0.2 years
Caledonia29K
6.5
0.2 years
Orleans28K
6.9
0.2 years
Lamoille27K
6.8
0.2 years
Orange26K
6.9
0.2 years
Grand Isle6K
6.7
0.2 years
Essex5K
6.5
0.1 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.