PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

United States's Wyoming Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Wyoming

Wyoming faces significant air pollution challenges. 35% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 592 thousand across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 4.9µg/m³. That's 1.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 81 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 Wyoming met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.02 years longer.

That's 12K years of life stolen from 592 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 Wyoming. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Weston
0.2 years lost
2.Crook
0.2 years lost
3.Campbell
0.1 years lost
4.Niobrara
0.1 years lost
5.Sheridan
0.1 years lost
6.Converse
0 years lost
7.Johnson
0 years lost
8.Laramie
0 years lost
9.Natrona
0 years lost
10.Goshen
0 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

62.6%

371K

5-10 µg/m³

37.4%

221K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 23 Districts in Wyoming

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Laramie	104K	5.1	0.0 years
Natrona	83K	4.9	0.0 years
Campbell	49K	6.4	0.1 years
Sweetwater	44K	4.2	0.0 years
Fremont	39K	4.1	0.0 years
Albany	38K	4.6	0.0 years
Sheridan	33K	5.7	0.1 years
Park	30K	4.5	0.0 years
Teton	27K	3.9	0.0 years
Uinta	21K	4.6	0.0 years
Lincoln	19K	4.3	0.0 years
Carbon	15K	3.8	0.0 years
Converse	13K	5.2	0.0 years
Goshen	12K	4.9	0.0 years
Big Horn	12K	4.8	0.0 years
Sublette	9K	3.3	0.0 years
Platte	8K	4.7	0.0 years
Johnson	8K	5.2	0.0 years
Washakie	8K	4.2	0.0 years
Weston	6K	7.5	0.2 years
Crook	6K	6.7	0.2 years
Hot Springs	5K	3.5	0.0 years
Niobrara	2K	5.7	0.1 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Wyoming is Injurious to Health.