New ‘State of the Air’ Report Finds Twin Cities Metro Area Air Quality Has Worsened

The air quality in the Twin Cities metro area has worsened according to the American Lung Association’s 2025 “State of the Air” report, released today. Residents are being exposed to more unhealthy ozone smog and particle pollution and experienced more unhealthy days than have been reported in over a decade. Greater Minneapolis ranks as the 48th worst in the nation for ozone pollution with 5.5 unhealthy days per year and received an F grade. The metro area also received an F grade for particle pollution and is ranked 36th worst in the nation with 4.8 unhealthy days per year.

The report also found that nearly half of the U.S. population, 156 million people, live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Researchers add extreme heat and wildfires contributed to the worsening air quality across much of the country. Wildfire smoke has significantly impacted Minnesota’s air quality in recent years.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution and particle pollution over a three-year period (2021-2023). The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023. Findings for the Twin Cities include:

• Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI metro area:
  • National Ranking: 48th worst out of 228 (79th worst in 2024 report)
  • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 5.5 days per year (1 day per year in 2024 report)
  • Grade: F, Anoka County, MN worst in metro area (C in 2024 report)
• Particle Pollution in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI metro area:
  • National Ranking: 36th worst out of 223 (48th worst in 2024 report)
  • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 4.8 days per year (2.7 days per year in 2024 report)
  • Grade: F, Dakota County, MN worst in metro area (D in 2024 report)
• Year-Round Average Level of Particle Pollution in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI metro area:
  • National Ranking: 70th worst in nation (118th in 2024)
  • Grade: Passing grade, pollution levels above the federal standard (Ramsey County, MN worst metro area county)

Ozone smog and particle pollution are widespread and can impact anyone’s health. Both pollutants can cause premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, preterm births and impaired cognitive functioning later in life. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer.

“Unfortunately, too many people in the Twin Citiesarea are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution. This air pollution is a threat to human health at every stage of life – from increasing the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies to causing or worsening lung disease,” said Jon Hunter, Senior Director for the American Lung Association in Minnesota. “We urge Minnesota policymakers to take action to improve our air quality and we are calling on everyone to support the incredibly important work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”

In addition to the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI metro area, other notable findings across Minnesota include:

• Duluth Metro Area
  • Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI metro area:
    • National Ranking: 149th worst out of 228 (Among the nation’s cleanest cities in 2024 report)
    • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 0.7 days per year (0 days per year in 2024 report-among nation’s cleanest cities)
    • Grade: B, St. Louis County, MN worst in metro area (A in 2024 report)
  • Particle Pollution in the Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI metro area:
    • National Ranking: 35th worst out of 223 (43rd worst in 2024 report)
    • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 5.2 days per year (3.3 days per year in 2024 report)
    • Grade: F, St. Louis County, MN worst in metro area (F in 2024 report)
  • Year-Round Average Level of Particle Pollution in the Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI metro area:
    • National Ranking: 192nd worst in the nation - tied for 15th best among nation’s cleanest cities (198th worst in 2024 report – 7th among nation’s cleanest cities)
    • Grade: Passing grade, pollution levels below the federal standard

On a national level, the “State of the Air” report found that 156 million people in the U.S. (46%) live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution. 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures. The report also found that a person of color in the U.S. is more than twice as likely as a white individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three pollution measures. Notably, Hispanic individuals are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in a community with three failing grades.

The Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is essential to protecting people’s health from ozone and particle pollution. Join the American Lung Association in advocating to protect EPA’s expert staff and lifesaving programs. See the full report results and take action at Lung.org/sota.

The “State of the Air” report relies on data from air quality monitors managed by state, local and Tribal air pollution control authorities in counties across the U.S. The rankings are based on the worst county in the area’s average number of unhealthy days.

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