Air Quality by State

Map

Table

Introduction

The air quality in the United States varies greatly by region and state. While some states like North Dakota and South Dakota have relatively low levels of air pollution, other states such as California, New York, and Pennsylvania experience significantly higher levels of air pollution. Generally speaking, parts of the western and northeastern US tend to be more polluted than other regions due to their larger urban populations. Pollutants come from many sources including motor vehicles, power plants, industrial facilities, burning wood or other fuels for cooking and heating, wildfires, volcanic activity, agricultural activities, and natural windblown dust. In 2020 the American Lung Association published its annual State of the Air report which found that unhealthy ozone levels increased across the United States while particle pollution decreased overall. This was attributed to fewer emissions resulting from stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors impacting air quality vary by state due to differences in population density and geography as well as local policies on emissions reduction. In regions with significant manufacturing centers such as Michigan or Ohio or in agricultural areas such as California, additional pollutants are released into the atmosphere that can cause harm to human health. In addition to Environmental Protection Agency emission standards designed to reduce pollutants, there are also a variety of public initiatives in place around the country aiming to improve air quality both now and over time including funding for alternative transportation methods such as electric cars or public bike sharing programs.

#StateGood Air Quality DaysUnhealthy Air Quality DaysModerate Air Quality Days
1Hawaii99.4%0%0.6%
2Maine93.2%0.5%6.3%
3Alaska92.3%1.3%6.4%
4Virginia91.5%0.2%8.4%
5Vermont91.3%0.2%8.5%
6New Hampshire91%0.5%8.5%
7Florida89.8%0%10.2%
8New York88.7%0.6%10.6%
9Washington88.7%1.6%9.7%
10Louisiana87.9%0.2%11.9%
11Massachusetts87.1%0.5%12.5%
12Nebraska86.8%0.5%12.6%
13Rhode Island86.7%0.8%12.4%
14West Virginia86.7%0%13.2%
15North Carolina86.3%0.1%13.7%
16Missouri86.1%0.4%13.4%
17Alabama85.8%0.2%14%
18Mississippi85.5%0%14.5%
19Kentucky85.2%0.2%14.6%
20South Carolina84.9%0.1%15.1%
21Tennessee84.5%0.3%15.2%
22Maryland84.2%0.7%15.1%
23Connecticut83.4%2.3%14.3%
24Minnesota83.4%1.2%15.4%
25Arkansas83%0.2%16.8%
26Oregon83%2.9%14.1%
27New Jersey82.3%0.8%16.9%
28Georgia82.1%0.4%17.5%
29South Dakota82.1%1.3%16.6%
30North Dakota81.1%3.2%15.8%
31Indiana80.9%0.3%18.8%
32Ohio80.9%0.3%18.8%
33Kansas80.8%0.9%18.3%
34Montana80.8%3.3%15.9%
35Texas80.5%1%18.5%
36Delaware80.3%0.7%19%
37Michigan79.9%0.7%19.4%
38Wisconsin79.8%0.9%19.3%
39Pennsylvania79.2%0.6%20.2%
40Idaho79%2.9%18.1%
41New Mexico78.9%1.7%19.3%
42Wyoming78.9%1.8%19.3%
43Iowa78.3%0.4%21.3%
44Oklahoma76.7%1.1%22.2%
45Colorado75.4%3.7%20.9%
46Illinois75%0.8%24.3%
47Nevada72.5%4.7%22.8%
48Utah70.2%3.2%26.6%
49District of Columbia69%2.2%28.8%
50Arizona64.6%6.5%28.9%
51California60.6%8.4%31.1%

Good Air Quality Days by State

Alabama

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85.8%

Ranked in the US

#17

Unhealthy Air Quality Days

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#7

Moderate Air Quality Days

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14%

Ranked in the US

#35

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Moderate Air Quality Days

Alaska

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92.3%

Ranked in the US

#3

Unhealthy Air Quality Days

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1.3%

Ranked in the US

#37

Moderate Air Quality Days

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6.4%

Ranked in the US

#50

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Arizona

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64.6%

Ranked in the US

#50

Unhealthy Air Quality Days

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6.5%

Ranked in the US

#51

Moderate Air Quality Days

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28.9%

Ranked in the US

#2

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Arkansas

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83%

Ranked in the US

#25

Unhealthy Air Quality Days

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#8

Moderate Air Quality Days

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16.8%

Ranked in the US

#23

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California

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60.6%

Ranked in the US

#51

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8.4%

Ranked in the US

#52

Moderate Air Quality Days

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31.1%

Ranked in the US

#1

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Colorado

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75.4%

Ranked in the US

#45

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3.7%

Ranked in the US

#49

Moderate Air Quality Days

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20.9%

Ranked in the US

#9

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Connecticut

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83.4%

Ranked in the US

#23

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2.3%

Ranked in the US

#43

Moderate Air Quality Days

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14.3%

Ranked in the US

#33

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Delaware

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80.3%

Ranked in the US

#36

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0.7%

Ranked in the US

#25

Moderate Air Quality Days

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19%

Ranked in the US

#15

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District of Columbia

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69%

Ranked in the US

#49

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2.2%

Ranked in the US

#42

Moderate Air Quality Days

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28.8%

Ranked in the US

#3

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Florida

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89.8%

Ranked in the US

#7

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0%

Ranked in the US

#1

Moderate Air Quality Days

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10.2%

Ranked in the US

#45

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Georgia

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82.1%

Ranked in the US

#28

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0.4%

Ranked in the US

#16

Moderate Air Quality Days

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17.5%

Ranked in the US

#21

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Hawaii

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99.4%

Ranked in the US

#1

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0%

Ranked in the US

#2

Moderate Air Quality Days

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0.6%

Ranked in the US

#52

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Idaho

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79%

Ranked in the US

#40

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2.9%

Ranked in the US

#44

Moderate Air Quality Days

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18.1%

Ranked in the US

#20

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Illinois

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75%

Ranked in the US

#46

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0.8%

Ranked in the US

#29

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24.3%

Ranked in the US

#5

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Indiana

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80.9%

Ranked in the US

#31

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0.3%

Ranked in the US

#13

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18.8%

Ranked in the US

#16

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Iowa

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78.3%

Ranked in the US

#43

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0.4%

Ranked in the US

#17

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21.3%

Ranked in the US

#8

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Kansas

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80.8%

Ranked in the US

#33

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0.9%

Ranked in the US

#32

Moderate Air Quality Days

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18.3%

Ranked in the US

#19

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Kentucky

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85.2%

Ranked in the US

#19

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#9

Moderate Air Quality Days

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14.6%

Ranked in the US

#31

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Louisiana

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87.9%

Ranked in the US

#10

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#10

Moderate Air Quality Days

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11.9%

Ranked in the US

#43

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Maine

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93.2%

Ranked in the US

#2

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0.5%

Ranked in the US

#19

Moderate Air Quality Days

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6.3%

Ranked in the US

#51

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Maryland

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84.2%

Ranked in the US

#22

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0.7%

Ranked in the US

#26

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.1%

Ranked in the US

#29

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Massachusetts

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87.1%

Ranked in the US

#11

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0.5%

Ranked in the US

#20

Moderate Air Quality Days

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12.5%

Ranked in the US

#40

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Michigan

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79.9%

Ranked in the US

#37

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0.7%

Ranked in the US

#27

Moderate Air Quality Days

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19.4%

Ranked in the US

#11

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Minnesota

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83.4%

Ranked in the US

#24

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1.2%

Ranked in the US

#36

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.4%

Ranked in the US

#27

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Mississippi

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85.5%

Ranked in the US

#18

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0%

Ranked in the US

#3

Moderate Air Quality Days

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14.5%

Ranked in the US

#32

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Missouri

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86.1%

Ranked in the US

#16

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0.4%

Ranked in the US

#18

Moderate Air Quality Days

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13.4%

Ranked in the US

#37

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Montana

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80.8%

Ranked in the US

#34

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3.3%

Ranked in the US

#48

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.9%

Ranked in the US

#25

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Nebraska

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86.8%

Ranked in the US

#12

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0.5%

Ranked in the US

#21

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12.6%

Ranked in the US

#39

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Nevada

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72.5%

Ranked in the US

#47

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4.7%

Ranked in the US

#50

Moderate Air Quality Days

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22.8%

Ranked in the US

#6

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New Hampshire

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91%

Ranked in the US

#6

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0.5%

Ranked in the US

#22

Moderate Air Quality Days

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8.5%

Ranked in the US

#47

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New Jersey

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82.3%

Ranked in the US

#27

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0.8%

Ranked in the US

#30

Moderate Air Quality Days

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16.9%

Ranked in the US

#22

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New Mexico

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78.9%

Ranked in the US

#41

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1.7%

Ranked in the US

#40

Moderate Air Quality Days

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19.3%

Ranked in the US

#12

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New York

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88.7%

Ranked in the US

#8

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0.6%

Ranked in the US

#23

Moderate Air Quality Days

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10.6%

Ranked in the US

#44

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North Carolina

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86.3%

Ranked in the US

#15

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0.1%

Ranked in the US

#5

Moderate Air Quality Days

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13.7%

Ranked in the US

#36

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North Dakota

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81.1%

Ranked in the US

#30

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3.2%

Ranked in the US

#46

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.8%

Ranked in the US

#26

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Ohio

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80.9%

Ranked in the US

#32

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0.3%

Ranked in the US

#14

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18.8%

Ranked in the US

#17

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Oklahoma

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76.7%

Ranked in the US

#44

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1.1%

Ranked in the US

#35

Moderate Air Quality Days

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22.2%

Ranked in the US

#7

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Oregon

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83%

Ranked in the US

#26

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2.9%

Ranked in the US

#45

Moderate Air Quality Days

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14.1%

Ranked in the US

#34

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Pennsylvania

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79.2%

Ranked in the US

#39

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0.6%

Ranked in the US

#24

Moderate Air Quality Days

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20.2%

Ranked in the US

#10

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Rhode Island

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86.7%

Ranked in the US

#13

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0.8%

Ranked in the US

#31

Moderate Air Quality Days

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12.4%

Ranked in the US

#41

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South Carolina

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84.9%

Ranked in the US

#20

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0.1%

Ranked in the US

#6

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.1%

Ranked in the US

#30

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South Dakota

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82.1%

Ranked in the US

#29

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1.3%

Ranked in the US

#38

Moderate Air Quality Days

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16.6%

Ranked in the US

#24

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Tennessee

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84.5%

Ranked in the US

#21

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0.3%

Ranked in the US

#15

Moderate Air Quality Days

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15.2%

Ranked in the US

#28

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Texas

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80.5%

Ranked in the US

#35

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1%

Ranked in the US

#34

Moderate Air Quality Days

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18.5%

Ranked in the US

#18

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Utah

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70.2%

Ranked in the US

#48

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3.2%

Ranked in the US

#47

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26.6%

Ranked in the US

#4

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Vermont

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91.3%

Ranked in the US

#5

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#11

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8.5%

Ranked in the US

#48

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Virginia

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91.5%

Ranked in the US

#4

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0.2%

Ranked in the US

#12

Moderate Air Quality Days

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8.4%

Ranked in the US

#49

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Washington

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88.7%

Ranked in the US

#9

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1.6%

Ranked in the US

#39

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9.7%

Ranked in the US

#46

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West Virginia

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86.7%

Ranked in the US

#14

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0%

Ranked in the US

#4

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13.2%

Ranked in the US

#38

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Wisconsin

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79.8%

Ranked in the US

#38

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0.9%

Ranked in the US

#33

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19.3%

Ranked in the US

#13

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Wyoming

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78.9%

Ranked in the US

#42

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1.8%

Ranked in the US

#41

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19.3%

Ranked in the US

#14

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