The Chicago Area Has Some Of The Worst Air Quality In America: Study

CHICAGO — Greater Chicago has some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to a recent study.

SmartSurvey evaluated 2023 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and used 12 factors that measure air quality to create index scores for areas across the country.

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area was ranked fourth worst with a score of 32.58. Greater Chicago had 29 days where the air was unhealthy for sensitive groups in 2023 and eight days where it was more broadly unhealthy, according to a news release about the study.

The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis area was fifth in the ranking at 33.41.

“More people than ever are paying attention to the effects of emissions and fossil fuels on our environment, making studies like this so important,” SmartSurvey CEO Mo Naser said in the news release. “Identifying the areas in the US with the worst air quality, based on empirical evidence and data, brings awareness to how the air we breathe can be unhealthy, or even hazardous.”

The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area ranked lowest at 17.03, with 59 unhealthy days for sensitive groups, according to the news release. Ranked second-worst was Greater Houston with a score of 28.36. The Albuquerque area was third at 29.64.