Smoke, Extreme Heat Are Giving New York Some of the Worst Air Quality in the Country Right Now: See the Full List

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For weeks, smoke from Canadian wildfires has drifted across the border and blanketed the Midwest and Northeast with unhealthy particulate matter. The NWS has issued air quality alerts in 219 counties, representing over 13 million Americans.

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NOAA data shows that there are 4.3 micrograms of smoke particulates per cubic meter of air across the five boroughs of New York City, among the highest concentrations in the country. Overall particulate matter is concentrated at 22.4 micrograms per cubic meter – fast approaching the EPA’s threshold of 35 micrograms per cubic meter for unhealthy air, and ranking seventh highest of any city with at least 50,000 residents. A closer look at the data reveals the cities with the worst air quality right now.

To determine the cities with the worst air quality right now, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed data on PM2.5 forecasts from the NOAA’s National Digital Forecast Database. Cities were ranked based on average PM2.5 concentration forecasts for July 30, 2025. Data was aggregated from raster shapefiles to Census polygons using zonal statistics in QGIS. Only cities with at least 50,000 residents were considered.

25. Elizabeth, NJ

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.2 µg/m³ (-13.8 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 5.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 18.6 ppb
Total population: 135,665

24. Lawrence, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.8 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 23.1 ppb
Total population: 88,067

23. Manchester, NH

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.8 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 17.9 ppb
Total population: 115,037

22. New Haven, CT

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 2.8 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 17.5 ppb
Total population: 135,736

21. Framingham, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 18.7 ppb
Total population: 71,805

20. Jersey City, NJ

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 5.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 17.1 ppb
Total population: 287,899

19. Lynn, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.4 µg/m³ (-13.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 23.7 ppb
Total population: 100,653

18. Bayonne, NJ

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.6 µg/m³ (-13.4 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 5.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 15.8 ppb
Total population: 70,497

17. Union City, NJ

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.8 µg/m³ (-13.2 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 5.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 19.0 ppb
Total population: 67,258

16. Springfield, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.9 µg/m³ (-13.1 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.9 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 15.9 ppb
Total population: 155,305

15. Newton, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 21.9 µg/m³ (-13.1 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 20.1 ppb
Total population: 88,453

14. Boston, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.0 µg/m³ (-13.0 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.2 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 21.4 ppb
Total population: 665,945

13. Mount Vernon, NY

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.0 µg/m³ (-13.0 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 3.8 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 25.9 ppb
Total population: 72,817

12. Quincy, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.1 µg/m³ (-12.9 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.3 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 20.9 ppb
Total population: 100,981

11. New Rochelle, NY

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.2 µg/m³ (-12.8 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 3.7 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 25.8 ppb
Total population: 80,828

10. Malden, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.3 µg/m³ (-12.7 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 21.7 ppb
Total population: 65,463

9. Cambridge, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.3 µg/m³ (-12.7 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 19.8 ppb
Total population: 117,962

8. Somerville, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.3 µg/m³ (-12.7 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 20.4 ppb
Total population: 80,464

7. New York, NY

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.4 µg/m³ (-12.6 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 4.3 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 18.4 ppb
Total population: 8,622,467

6. Nashua, NH

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 22.5 µg/m³ (-12.5 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.9 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 18.3 ppb
Total population: 90,943

5. Lowell, MA

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 23.2 µg/m³ (-11.8 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.9 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 21.0 ppb
Total population: 114,737

4. Portland, ME

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 23.7 µg/m³ (-11.3 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.7 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 15.9 ppb
Total population: 68,280

3. Schenectady, NY

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 27.8 µg/m³ (-7.2 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 20.4 ppb
Total population: 68,476

2. Albany, NY

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 28.8 µg/m³ (-6.2 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 1.0 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 22.5 ppb
Total population: 99,692

1. Wichita, KS

Forecast PM2.5 concentration, July 30: 29.2 µg/m³ (-5.8 µg/m³ below unhealthy threshold)
Forecast smoke concentration, July 30: 0.1 µg/m³
Forecast ozone concentration, July 30: 20.2 ppb
Total population: 395,951