10 Least Polluted Cities in the United States (2023 Rankings)

Looking to find the least polluted cities in the United States to get a break from air pollution? Smart Air analyzed 2023 air pollution data for dozens of United States cities to generate the 2023 ranking of the “10 Least Polluted Cities in the United States”.

Scroll down for the full rundown of the least polluted cities in the United States and their annual PM2.5 levels. and their annual PM2.5 levels. The annual average PM2.5 in micrograms (µg/m3) is also given. For reference, the WHO recommended annual limit is 5 micrograms.

Rankings: 10 Least Polluted Cities in the United States

The rankings for the least polluted cities in the world are based on PM2.5 air pollution data from the 12 months prior to the publication date.


1. Escondido, California (1.4 µg/m3)

Escondido, California, one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

2. Palmdale, California (1.7 µg/m3)

Palmdale, California, one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

3. Lakewood, Colorado (2.6 µg/m3)

Lakewood, Colorado one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

4. Oceanside, California (2.6 µg/m3)

Oceanside, California one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

5. Paradise, Nevada (2.6 µg/m3)

Paradise, Nevada one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

6. San Diego, California (2.8 µg/m3)

San Diego, California one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

7. Bellevue, Washington (2.9 µg/m3)

Bellevue, Washington one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

8. Moreno Valley, California (2.9 µg/m3)

Moreno Valley, California one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

9. Pierre, South Dakota (3.2 µg/m3)

Pierre, South Dakota, one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

10. Surprise, Arizona (3.4 µg/m3)

Surprise, Arizona, one of least polluted cities in the united states 2023

Read More: The 10 Most Polluted Cities in the United States 2023?

What is the Least Polluted City in the United States?

California topped the list as the least polluted state in the United States, with 5 cities in the top 10. Cities in the west coast dominated the rankings with some of the cleanest air in the United States in 2023.

There is research that even little amounts of pollution such as those typically present in these least polluted cities can have an impact on health.

Below is a pollution heat map from the WHO. WHO research shows that over 99% of people in the world are breathing unsafe air with high air pollution levels.

Global Air Pollution Map
Image: WHO

How Air Pollution Was Measured to Find Least Polluted Cities in World

The above rankings of the 2023 least polluted cities in the world were ranked based on their average PM2.5 pollution levels from the 12 months prior to the publication date. 

These small pollutants are under 2.5 micrograms in width and are considered to be one of the more dangerous pollutants due to their ability to enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream.


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