America's Lung Health
Using data from County Health Rankings, the below ranking shows where in America has the best lung health based on the % change in smokers and change in levels of pollution (PM2.5) over the past 5 years (1 being in the best health).
% Smokers (2016)
% Smokers (2021)
% Change in Smokers
Average Daily PM2.5 (2016)
Average Daily PM2.5 (2021)
Change in PM2.5
| Ranking (1 = best) | State | % Smokers (2016) | % Smokers (2021) | % Change in Smokers | Average Daily PM2.5 (2016) | Average Daily PM2.5 (2021) | Change in PM2.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Kentucky | 26 | 24 | -2 | 13.5 | 8.7 | -4.8 |
| 7 | New Mexico | 19 | 16 | -3 | 10.0 | 5.6 | -4.4 |
| 8 | Nevada | 17 | 16 | -1 | 12.5 | 5.4 | -7.1 |
| 9 | Alaska | 20 | 19 | -1 | 11.5* | 6.5 | -5.0 |
| 10 | Montana | 20 | 19 | -1 | 10.9 | 5.1 | -5.8 |
| 11 | Maryland | 15 | 13 | -2 | 12.5 | 8.0 | -4.5 |
| 12 | Arizona | 17 | 14 | -3 | 10.1 | 6.3 | -3.8 |
| 13 | Florida | 18 | 15 | -3 | 11.4 | 7.7 | -3.7 |
| 14 | Hawaii | 14 | 14 | 0 | 11.5* | 4.3 | -7.2 |
| 15 | Wyoming | 20 | 19 | -1 | 11.2 | 4.2 | -7.0 |
| 16 | South Carolina | 22 | 19 | -3 | 12.6 | 9.0 | -3.6 |
| 17 | New York | 14 | 13 | -1 | 11.7 | 6.6 | -5.1 |
| 18 | Utah | 10 | 9 | -1 | 11.4 | 5.8 | -5.6 |
| 19 | Indiana | 23 | 22 | -1 | 13.5 | 9.0 | -4.5 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | 20 | 18 | -2 | 12.9 | 9.0 | -3.9 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | 18 | 17 | -1 | 10.5 | 5.7 | -4.8 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | 15 | 14 | -1 | 10.5 | 6.0 | -4.5 |
| 23 | Nebraska | 17 | 17 | 0 | 12.1 | 5.7 | -6.4 |
| 24 | Vermont | 16 | 15 | -1 | 10.7 | 5.4 | -5.3 |
| 25 | Minnesota | 16 | 16 | 0 | 12.0 | 6.3 | -5.7 |
| 26 | Iowa | 19 | 17 | -2 | 10.9 | 7.5 | -3.4 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 15 | 13 | -2 | 10.5 | 7.2 | -3.3 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 23 | 21 | -2 | 12.2 | 8.7 | -3.5 |
| 29 | Michigan | 21 | 20 | -1 | 11.5 | 7.1 | -4.4 |
| 30 | Alabama | 21 | 20 | -1 | 12.8 | 9.2 | -3.6 |
| 31 | Louisiana | 24 | 21 | -3 | 10.5 | 8.7 | -1.8 |
| 32 | Illinois | 17 | 16 | -1 | 12.5 | 8.7 | -3.8 |
| 33 | South Dakota | 19 | 20 | 1 | 10.8 | 5.0 | -5.8 |
| 34 | North Dakota | 20 | 20 | 0 | 10.0 | 4.7 | -5.3 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 27 | 27 | 0 | 13.2 | 7.8 | -5.4 |
| 36 | New Jersey | 15 | 13 | -2 | 11.3 | 8.6 | -2.7 |
| 37 | California | 13 | 11 | -2 | 9.3 | 8.1 | -1.2 |
| 38 | Idaho | 16 | 15 | -1 | 10.1 | 6.6 | -3.5 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 16 | 15 | -1 | 10.3 | 6.1 | -4.2 |
| 40 | Georgia | 17 | 16 | -1 | 12.8 | 9.6 | -3.2 |
| 41 | Arkansas | 25 | 24 | -1 | 11.8 | 9.1 | -2.7 |
| 42 | North Carolina | 19 | 18 | -1 | 12.3 | 8.5 | -3.8 |
| 43 | Ohio | 21 | 21 | 0 | 13.5 | 9.0 | -4.5 |
| 44 | Kansas | 18 | 18 | 0 | 10.9 | 6.7 | -4.2 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | 17 | 17 | 0 | 11.5 | 7.0 | -4.5 |
Based on County Health Rankings Data from 2016 and 2021.
PM2.5 is the average daily density of fine particulate matter in micrograms per cubic meter.
* National average used where County Health Rankings data was unavailable.
