Indianapolis air pollution among worst in U.S., report finds
Indianapolis' air quality is among the worst in the nation for year-round particle pollution, according to a new report.
Why it matters: Air pollution is associated with an array of health conditions, from wheezing and coughing to asthma and premature death.
The findings come as the White House is reconsidering EPA rules and regulations meant to curb pollution and promote cleaner air.
Driving the news: Nearly half of Americans are now exposed to potentially dangerous levels of ozone or particle pollution, per the American Lung Association's 2025 State of the Air report.
That's almost 25 million more compared with last year's report, and the highest number in the past decade of the report's history.
How it works: The report used local air quality data to grade and rank locations based on ozone pollution, daily particle pollution and annual particle pollution.
This latest report includes data from 2021-2023, "the most recent three years of quality-assured nationwide air pollution data publicly available."
Ozone is a gas that, at ground level, is a harmful irritant. Particle pollution involves tiny airborne particles from wildfires, fossil fuel burning and more.
Zoom in: The Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie area ranked No. 11 nationally for worst annual particle pollution out of 208 U.S. metros.
It ranked No. 21 worst for 24-hour particle pollution and No. 54 worst for ozone pollution.
Marion County received an "F" grade for both ozone and daily particle pollution and failed for annual particle pollution.
Hamilton County got a "C" for ozone, a "D" for daily particle pollution and failed annual particle pollution.
Threat level: Climate-related factors— including extreme heat, wildfires and drought — are also degrading air quality nationwide, the Lung Association says.
Yes, but: Year-over-year EPA data shows that Indy's air quality is getting slightly better over time, with fine particle pollution dropping nearly 3% in the last decade.
The average percentage of fine particle pollution in the Indianapolis metro area decreased from 10.44 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014-16 to 10.1 micrograms in 2021-23, per the EPA.
Zoom out: Los Angeles, Visalia and Bakersfield — all in California — lead the rankings of U.S. metros most affected by ozone pollution.
Bakersfield; Fairbanks, Alaska, and Eugene, Oregon, topped the list of those most affected by daily particle pollution.
Bakersfield; Visalia and Fresno, California, were the most affected by annual particle pollution.
Only one continental U.S. metro — Bangor, Maine — showed up on all three of the group's lists of cleanest cities.
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