New ‘State of the Air’ Report Finds Reno Metro Area Residents Are Breathing Some of the Most Polluted Air in the Country

Today, the American Lung Association released the 2025 “State of the Air” report, which reveals that Reno metro area was named 6th most polluted in the nation for particle pollution. 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 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 Melissa Ramos, Senior Manager of Advocacy for the American Lung Association. “Unfortunately, too many people in Reno metro area are living with unhealthy levels of particle pollution. This air pollution is causing kids to have asthma attacks, making people who work outdoors sick and unable to work, and leading to low birth weight in babies. We urge Nevada policymakers to take action by passing SB 132, a Clean Energy Investment, and AB458, Solar-Powered Affordable Housing. These legislative proposals would expand clean energy programs and reduce unhealthy air pollution across the state. 

Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA 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 Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA metro area ranked 28th worst in the nation for ozone pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—9 days per year, an F grade, in Washoe County, Nevada. This was better than the area's ranking in last year's report of 19th worst, with 12. days per year, an F grade. 

Particle Pollution in the Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA metro area:

The report also tracked short-term spikes in particle pollution, which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly. The Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA metro area ranked 6th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution. This year, Douglas County surpassed Washoe County, as the most polluted for an average number of unhealthy days—19.2 days per year, an F grade. This was the same as the area's ranking in last year's report of 6th worst, with 28.3 days per year, an F grade, in Washoe County, Nevada in 2024. 

For the year-round average level of particle pollution, the area’s worst county, Washoe County, Nevada, received a failing grade for pollution levels above the federal standard. The Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA metro area ranked 34th worst in the nation. This was better than the area's ranking in last year's report of 18th worst in the nation.

In addition to the Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA metro area, other notable findings across Nevada include:

• The Las Vegas-Henderson, NV metro area ranked 12th worst in the nation for ozone pollution.
• The Las Vegas-Henderson, NV metro area ranked 46th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution.

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 American Lung Association in Nevada is calling on the Nevada legislature to tackle our air pollution problem by passing key clean energy legislation. Senate Bill 132 will appropriate $5M to the Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) to secure and implement grants for qualified clean energy projects. NCEF oversees several clean energy, transportation, and efficiency programs that reduce unhealthy pollution and save consumers money on energy bills. Assembly Bill 458 will remove barriers on federally designated affordable housing from installing rooftop solar, so those most impacted by air pollution burdens can benefit from cleaner energy. Both bills are critical for reducing unhealthy emissions and protecting health.

In this year’s “State of the Air” report, the Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the EPA. 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.