COLUMBUS, Ohio — A report by the American Lung Association (ALA) shows that the air quality in Columbus is getting worse, particularly when it comes to particle pollution.

ALA grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution, also known as smog, and year-round and short-term spikes in particle pollution, also known as soot. 

In its 2025 “State of the Air” report released on Wednesday, the ALA named Columbus the 54th worst in the nation for annual particle pollution out of 208 metropolitan areas. The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023.

For the 24-hour particle pollution out of 225 metro areas, Columbus ranked 46 and received an “F” grade. Last year, Columbus was ranked at 124 and received a “B” grade.

For smog, Columbus was given a “C” grade and ranked at 139, which is an improvement from last year when the city was the 79th worst.

To see the organization’s methodology, click here.

“The air pollutants covered in this report are widespread and can impact anyone’s health. Both ozone and particle pollution 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,” said Kezia Ofosu Atta, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Ohio.

The report found that 156 million people in the country live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution. According to ALA, 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, Columbus had 150 good air quality days and 211 moderate days in 2024. There were five days when the air was unhealthy for sensitive groups.