New Report: Johnson City Metro Area Ranked Among Nation’s Cleanest Cities with 2nd Straight A for Ozone; Both Daily and Year-Round Particle Pollution Worsen, Falling Off Cleanest Cities List

Today, the American Lung Association released the 2025 “State of the Air” report, which reveals that Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area’s air quality remains good and continues to be among nation’s cleanest cities for ozone pollution, earning an A grade for the measure for second consecutive year. However, both measures of particle pollution worsen, as wildfire smoke contributes to poorer air quality, taking the area off the respective cleanest cities lists, and ranking 156th worst in the nation for short-term and and 161st worst for year-round. Nationally, the report found that 156 million people (46%) are living in areas that had unhealthy levels of air pollution.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report 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) over a three-year period. The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023.

"The air pollutants highlighted in this report are widespread and pose a risk to everyone’s health. Both ozone and particle pollution can lead to premature death and cause serious health issues such as asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, preterm births, and even problems with cognitive function later in life. Particle pollution can also increase the risk of lung cancer,” said Elizabeth Hensil, Advocacy Director in Pennsylvania, American Lung Association.

“Sadly, too many people are living with dangerous levels of ozone and particle pollution in the U.S. This pollution is making kids have asthma attacks, causing people who work outdoors to get sick and unable to work, and even contributing to low birth weight in babies. We’re urging Virginia policymakers to continue their commitment to improve our air quality. We’re also calling on everyone to support the vital work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”

Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area:

The “State of the Air” report looked at levels of ozone “smog,” the air pollutant affecting the largest number of people in the United States. The metro area ranked among the nation's cleanest cities for ozone pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst (and only measured) county’s average number of unhealthy days—0 days per year, an A grade, in Sullivan County, Tennessee. This was comparable to the area's ranking in last year's report among the nation's cleanest cities, with 0 days per year, an A grade. 

Particle Pollution in the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area:

The report also tracked short-term spikes in particle pollution, which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly. The metro area ranked 156th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—0.7 days per year, a B grade, in both Sullivan County, Tennessee and Bristol City, Virginia. This was worse than the area's ranking in last year's report among the nation's cleanest cities, with 0 days per year, an A grade. 

For the year-round average level of particle pollution, the area’s worst administrative subdivision, Bristol City, Virginia, received a passing grade for pollution levels below the federal standard. The Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area ranked 161st worst in the nation. This was worse than the area's ranking in last year's report of 178th worst in the nation (when it was tied for 25th best among the nation's cleanest cities).

In addition to the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area, other notable findings across the Mid-Atlantic include:

• Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville, PA-OH-WV. Both measures of particle pollution worsen in the area, ranking worst in Mid-Atlantic for both, 16th worst in country for daily particle pollution, 12th worst for the year-round average of particle pollution. Ozone smog again earns a D.
• Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranked 3rd worst in Mid-Atlantic for both ozone smog and daily particle pollution. It also ranked 26th worst in the country for year-round particle levels, 2nd worst in the Mid-Atlantic.
• Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA, air pollution measures worsen. Grade for daily particle pollution worsens from C to F. Year-round particle pollution now failing. Area ranks 36th worst in country for ozone smog.

The “State of the Air” report found that 156 million people in the U.S. (46%) live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution and 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures. The report also found that a person of color in the U.S. is more than twice as likely as a white individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three pollution measures. Notably, Hispanic individuals are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in a community with three failing grades.

The Commonwealth has made strong commitments to healthy air policies such as Advanced Clean Cars which would facilitate the transition to zero emission vehicles.  The American Lung Association supports these policy commitments and opposes any polices that would threaten forward progress.  

In this year’s “State of the Air” report, the Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is essential to protecting people’s health from ozone and particle pollution. Without EPA staff and programs, families won’t know what’s in the air they are breathing, and efforts to clean up air pollution will be undone. Join the American Lung Association in advocating to protect EPA’s expert staff and lifesaving programs. See the full report results and take action at Lung.org/sota.