Outdoor air quality: Percentage of children ages 0–17 living in counties with pollutant concentrations above the levels of the current air quality standards by race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2022

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Characteristic 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
All races
One or more pollutants 75.8 77.4 78.2 77.6 78.3 76.8 78.1 76.4 77.0 72.9 67.1 72.7 70.7 70.6 61.7 60.3 61.6 62.4 58.1 64.1 50.1 54.0 59.3 54.1
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard 5.7 4.4 1.0 4.1 1.0 0.1 0.6 0.5 0.1 0.2 # # # # # # # # 0.3 0.1 # 0.4 # #
Lead — 3-month standard 2.3 1.6 2.1 1.2 1.6 1.2 1.6 1.2 5.0 5.0 4.2 6.6 6.7 2.6 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 # 0.1 0.2
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard 23.2 19.4 17.3 18.8 17.3 16.0 13.7 12.3 10.7 12.3 8.5 7.1 3.3 3.0 5.1 6.8 7.7 2.0 # # # # # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard 66.1 67.3 68.1 68.7 69.3 66.8 69.0 68.6 67.4 65.8 59.3 66.6 66.3 67.1 56.5 53.8 56.0 57.8 54.3 59.1 45.7 43.0 51.2 49.0
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard 37.5 52.1 47.8 47.4 44.2 38.6 47.5 36.8 39.7 26.1 16.1 16.2 14.4 8.4 10.0 4.1 9.3 6.3 7.9 10.2 4.4 12.4 8.0 5.5
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard 54.7 62.3 60.5 60.7 56.5 55.7 59.8 45.4 53.3 36.3 31.6 34.5 23.7 21.6 22.2 27.1 27.4 21.3 15.8 27.8 20.0 36.2 33.9 23.7
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard 12.3 10.4 6.8 10.3 8.8 7.5 6.7 8.8 15.5 8.1 9.3 5.2 5.8 8.7 7.4 6.9 5.7 6.7 6.3 9.2 10.2 16.6 13.0 9.8
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard 31.1 28.8 26.6 25.5 21.5 20.4 20.7 16.5 15.3 16.8 11.2 8.6 7.9 6.5 7.9 5.2 3.2 3.0 4.3 2.1 2.3 1.8 2.2 2.8
White, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — 72.0 72.9 72.0 72.8 70.8 72.6 70.5 71.4 66.3 60.4 66.0 63.5 64.5 54.1 52.5 54.3 55.3 48.9 56.4 39.7 45.0 50.8 44.8
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — 1.6 0.7 1.5 0.7 # 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.2 # # # # # # # # 0.1 0.1 # 0.4 # #
Lead — 3-month standard — 1.6 1.8 1.3 1.6 1.3 1.5 1.3 2.9 2.9 2.1 3.9 4.0 2.4 0.7 0.9 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.4 # 0.2 0.1
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — 11.2 10.2 10.9 10.2 8.2 7.6 6.9 5.6 7.0 3.8 2.8 1.1 1.5 2.4 3.8 3.5 1.6 # # # # # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — 61.8 62.3 63.1 64.0 60.8 63.5 62.9 62.0 58.4 51.6 59.4 58.9 60.7 47.9 45.6 48.1 50.6 44.6 51.8 35.1 34.6 41.7 39.6
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — 44.7 40.9 40.2 36.6 30.9 40.5 28.9 32.5 18.7 10.0 11.0 9.1 4.5 5.9 3.2 5.1 2.8 3.9 5.2 2.8 7.0 4.1 2.4
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — 54.2 52.9 52.8 48.7 47.3 53.0 37.8 45.5 29.0 23.2 28.0 18.1 15.7 16.9 21.1 22.0 15.9 11.4 19.9 13.3 27.7 27.5 16.5
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — 6.0 5.3 6.2 6.7 5.8 5.6 5.7 9.0 5.8 5.5 3.8 4.3 6.4 4.8 4.7 4.5 4.5 3.9 6.3 5.4 10.2 7.1 5.7
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — 24.6 22.2 21.0 19.1 18.4 18.9 15.0 14.6 13.8 9.7 8.3 7.3 6.1 6.8 5.4 3.5 3.1 3.6 2.3 2.6 2.0 1.8 2.9
Black, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — 84.8 85.0 84.5 84.8 83.9 84.7 82.9 83.2 79.1 72.7 79.6 76.2 75.4 63.1 62.7 63.3 65.6 61.1 63.7 51.5 53.5 59.4 55.0
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — 3.3 1.0 3.6 0.5 # 1.2 0.8 # 0.7 # # # # # # # # 0.1 # # 0.2 # #
Lead — 3-month standard — 2.0 2.2 1.7 1.9 0.9 2.0 0.9 4.0 3.9 2.7 6.9 7.0 1.8 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.5 # 0.1 0.3
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — 23.0 17.6 24.0 18.8 19.3 16.9 14.7 13.0 11.4 9.6 7.1 1.8 3.1 4.7 5.5 6.2 2.8 # # # # # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — 72.6 74.5 74.6 73.2 71.7 73.3 73.8 72.2 71.9 64.6 73.0 72.5 72.2 58.7 57.5 58.0 61.2 58.7 60.5 49.4 40.6 52.2 51.4
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — 69.8 63.7 61.4 61.2 55.1 64.4 52.6 53.9 36.7 17.5 21.1 15.4 6.0 5.6 5.6 7.5 3.2 3.8 5.5 4.2 5.5 7.2 3.0
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — 75.3 71.7 70.9 65.3 66.6 70.9 52.1 64.6 43.0 33.8 39.4 22.2 18.1 14.5 24.4 24.6 20.0 11.0 19.6 14.2 34.7 27.8 19.8
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — 10.4 4.5 6.4 8.2 7.4 5.1 7.8 11.1 4.6 4.4 3.1 4.3 6.8 3.4 4.6 2.9 5.4 4.6 5.2 4.6 9.1 7.8 5,8
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — 39.4 38.6 36.5 34.6 32.6 31.9 27.4 23.9 22.1 17.2 14.3 12.0 10.8 11.1 8.4 4.9 5.0 6.0 3.7 3.4 2.0 2.1 4.1
Asian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — 92.3 92.7 92.3 92.5 91.6 91.5 90.6 88.0 83.1 79.7 87.4 82.5 82.4 76.5 73.6 76.8 73.3 73.3 73.3 65.0 68.0 — —
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — 9.4 0.8 8.9 2.2 # 0.4 0.4 # 0.1 # # # # # # # # 0.1 0.1 # 0.7 — —
Lead — 3-month standard — 1.9 2.7 0.9 1.2 1.0 1.3 1.2 8.8 8.6 8.0 10.0 9.9 4.4 0.4 0.4 0.1 # # 0.1 0.1 # — —
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — 32.9 29.1 28.9 30.1 26.2 19.2 19.0 16.4 18.1 12.1 13.1 6.5 3.8 8.3 10.4 13.3 1.5 # # # # — —
Ozone — 8-hour standard — 76.1 76.6 76.6 78.1 76.2 76.9 77.3 75.9 75.5 71.8 76.7 74.4 76.4 70.8 67.9 70.6 68.4 67.6 70.7 61.2 57.8 — —
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — 66.0 61.8 60.2 53.1 46.5 54.8 42.6 45.9 32.1 22.2 18.2 16.2 11.8 20.2 3.8 13.3 10.0 13.3 21.5 4.9 22.8 — —
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — 84.1 83.0 82.9 77.3 78.6 77.1 69.0 71.9 52.7 47.4 48.1 37.7 34.4 38.1 37.4 39.9 28.4 22.2 43.1 26.9 48.0 — —
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — 19.1 10.2 13.3 7.9 6.0 10.2 8.7 21.5 7.6 12.2 3.9 4.2 7.7 7.3 6.5 5.2 5.8 5.4 10.3 15.0 24.2 — —
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — 32.6 28.4 29.8 21.0 19.2 20.2 11.6 11.0 17.9 9.9 6.0 6.3 5.2 6.6 3.6 2.3 2.5 5.8 1.6 1.5 2.3 — —
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — 51.4 55.4 54.1 59.6 57.7 59.1 59.5 59.5 52.2 43.6 52.0 51.6 52.5 45.4 43.2 42.3 39.5 43.4 51.6 36.7 42.2 48.2 42.1
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — 1.7 1.5 1.2 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3 # # # # # # # # # 0.1 0.1 # 0.3 # #
Lead — 3-month standard — 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.5 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.6 1.9 1.4 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 # # #
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — 11.1 8.9 8.9 8.3 7.2 6.4 5.8 3.8 6.3 2.4 2.4 1.2 2.1 1.4 4.7 2.8 1.1 # # # # # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — 40.7 41.8 43.8 47.3 45.5 48.2 48.3 47.8 43.8 35.3 45.6 45.5 47.5 38.8 33.7 34.4 32.3 34.3 42.2 28.1 31.9 35.9 34.8
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — 25.4 21.9 22.9 18.5 15.5 24.9 16.7 21.4 9.0 5.4 5.7 6.7 3.5 4.6 1.6 3.6 2.7 4.9 5.7 2.5 10.0 4.5 2.3
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — 34.5 33.2 35.9 31.3 31.1 34.7 26.0 31.5 18.6 18.0 17.7 15.6 15.0 15.7 19.4 19.1 15.9 13.6 21.8 16.8 26.8 30.7 19.2
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — 7.1 9.2 10.7 10.9 8.9 8.9 13.7 13.7 11.2 10.2 8.2 10.3 11.9 12.6 10.9 8.1 9.4 7.5 12.5 12.0 16.8 14.6 14.0
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — 15.2 14.2 14.6 13.5 13.1 13.5 10.8 10.8 8.1 4.3 7.1 6.2 5.7 5.1 2.9 2.1 2.4 2.8 2.6 1.9 1.4 1.2 2.1
Hispanic
One or more pollutants — 88.2 88.6 88.4 88.5 87.3 86.9 85.7 85.8 84.3 78.0 81.9 82.0 79.8 75.6 73.7 73.6 74.0 73.2 77.8 67.4 69.6 72.8 69.1
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — 14.2 2.0 12.0 2.1 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.1 # # # # # # # # # 1.1 0.1 # 0.3 # #
Lead — 3-month standard — 1.1 3.3 0.8 1.3 1.2 1.6 1.2 10.6 10.3 9.8 12.3 12.2 3.3 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 # # 0.2
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — 43.1 39.5 38.9 36.4 35.2 28.2 24.7 21.5 25.8 19.0 16.4 8.7 6.1 10.8 13.8 16.8 2.5 # # # # # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — 81.8 82.2 81.8 82.3 80.2 81.2 79.8 77.2 79.3 72.9 78.1 79.0 77.4 72.0 67.3 69.5 69.5 69.5 71.6 62.2 58.4 65.9 63.1
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — 61.4 56.0 58.1 54.2 48.4 54.7 46.7 48.4 37.3 29.4 25.3 26.1 18.4 19.9 5.3 18.7 15.0 17.5 20.6 7.9 25.2 15.7 12.0
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — 76.7 73.7 74.6 70.7 69.0 68.7 57.2 63.0 47.8 47.9 44.3 35.1 34.9 35.6 40.1 38.5 32.4 26.6 45.7 35.7 51.7 46.7 38.1
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — 24.6 13.2 26.2 16.1 13.0 10.3 18.1 35.0 16.5 21.4 10.0 10.5 15.1 15.4 13.0 10.1 12.1 12.5 17.1 22.0 32.0 26.8 19.8
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — 34.6 31.8 30.9 19.3 17.5 17.8 14.1 12.0 20.8 11.4 6.2 7.2 5.1 8.7 3.3 2.0 1.7 4.5 0.9 1.4 1.3 3.1 1.8
Asian, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 74.8 67.3
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Lead — 3-month standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 68.3 63.7
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 11.3 9.1
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 45.9 29.9
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 15.1 9.1
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1.6 2.5
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 57.5 56.6
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Lead — 3-month standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 46.7 45.1
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 8.1 5.6
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 39.5 34.7
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 13.8 15.5
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 5.7 5.1
Two or More Races, non-Hispanic
One or more pollutants — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 59.5 54.6
Carbon monoxide — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Lead — 3-month standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 0.2 0.1
Nitrogen dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — # #
Ozone — 8-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 50.5 48.3
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — annual standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 7.2 4.9
Particulate matter (PM2.5) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 34.7 24.4
Particulate matter (PM10) — 24-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 11.6 8.9
Sulfur dioxide — 1-hour standard — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2.2 3.5
—Not available.
NOTE: Percentages are based on the number of children living in counties where measured air pollution concentrations were higher than the level of a Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard at least once during the year. The indicator is calculated with reference to the current levels of the air quality standards (as of December 2019) for all years shown. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency periodically reviews air quality standards and may change them based on updated scientific findings. Measuring concentrations above the level of a standard is not equivalent to violating the standard. The level of a standard may be exceeded on multiple days before the exceedance is considered a violation of the standard. Data were revised since previous publication in America's Children. Values have been recalculated based on updated data in the Air Quality System. For more information on the air quality standards that are used in calculating these percentages, please see https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table. The revised 1997 U.S. Office of Management and Budget standards for race were used for the 2000–2019 race-specific estimates. A person's race is described by one or more of four racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately but combined for reporting. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation, Air Quality System.
For data through 2020, the 1977 U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards for data on race and ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following four racial groups: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. Data from states reporting multiple races were bridged to the single-race categories of the 1977 OMB standards for comparability with other states and for trend analysis. Beginning with 2021 data, the 1997 U.S. OMB standards on race and ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following five racial groups: White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. All categories are now single race. As a result, data for 2021 and subsequent years are not strictly comparable with earlier data. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected and reported separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
# Rounds to zero

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