Despite efforts to clean up air pollution levels, almost 120 million people in the U.S.—or more than one in three—live in counties with unhealthy levels of particle pollution or ozone.
The American Lung Association’s 24th annual “State of the Air” report found that air quality has improved nationwide overall, but there are significant differences between air quality in western and eastern states and between exposure to air pollution for white people and people of color.
Unhealthy air can lead to a poor quality of life and multiple health problems. Dirty air can instigate emergency room visits, poor lung development in children, and even death in some cases.
If you’re looking to breathe in some cleaner air, consider one of these cities, which the American Lung Association deemed the cleanest in the US.