When it comes to smog and air pollution, Atlanta gets a “no passing” grade in the American Lung Association’s (ALA) annual air quality index but Hall County passes.
Not all counties in Georgia are included in the report and only two others in the immediate Hall County area – Gwinnett, which also passed, and Dawson which did, too.
A spokeswoman for the association, Victoria O’Neill, said that’s because “our report relies on data from air quality monitors that are managed by state, local and Tribal air pollution control authorities. Not all counties have monitors for either ozone or particle pollution, so those counties are not listed in the report.”
ALA’s “State of the Air” report released Wednesday morning ranks Atlanta third worse in ozone pollution and fourth worse in particle pollution in the Southeast. The association’s 28th annual report is based data collected 2021-2023.
Atlanta’s ozone emissions ranks 48th worst out of 228 cities across the country, which is the third worst metro area in Southeast. Atlanta ranked 67th worst nationally in the association’s 2024 findings.
The 2025 report gives Atlanta a failing grade for short-term spikes in particle pollution levels recorded above the federal standard.
Nearly half of the U.S. population live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, the report says.
GEORGIA
American Lung Association in Georgia
HIGH OZONE DAYS 2020–2022 HIGH PARTICLE POLLUTION DAYS 2020–2022
24-Hour Annual
Wgt. Wgt. Design Pass/
County Orange Red Purple Avg. Grade Orange Red Purple Maroon Avg. Grade Value Fail
Bibb 1 0 0 0.3 B 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 8.8 Pass
Chatham 0 0 0 0.0 A 1 0 0 0 0.3 B INC INC
Chattooga 0 0 0 0.0 A DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Clarke 0 0 0 0.0 A 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 9.2 Fail
Clayton DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 0 0 0 0 0.0 A 8.4 Pass
Cobb 1 0 0 0.3 B 0 0 0 0 0.0 A 8.4 Pass
Coffee DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 6.9 Pass
Columbia 0 0 0 0.0 A DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Dawson 1 0 0 0.3 B DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
DeKalb 4 0 0 1.3 C 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 9.0 Pass
Dougherty DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 7 0 0 0 2.3 D 9.2 Fail
Douglas 3 0 0 1.0 C DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Fulton 4 1 0 1.8 C 0 0 0 0 0.0 A 9.4 Fail
Glynn 0 0 0 0.0 A 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 8.1 Pass
Gwinnett 2 0 0 0.7 B 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 8.8 Pass
Hall DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 0 0 0 0 0.0 A 8.8 Pass
Henry 4 0 0 1.3 C DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Houston DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 6 0 0 0 2.0 C 9.1 Fail
Lowndes DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 1 0 0 0 0.3 B 8.6 Pass
Murray 1 0 0 0.3 B DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Muscogee 0 0 0 0.0 A 1 1 0 0 0.8 B 8.3 Pass
Pike 0 0 0 0.0 A DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Richmond 0 0 0 0.0 A 8 0 0 0 2.7 D 10.4 Fail
Rockdale 0 0 0 0.0 A DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Sumter 0 0 0 0.0 A DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC
Walker DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 1 0 0 0 0.3 B INC INC
Washington DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 8 0 0 0 2.7 D 10.2 Fai