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The cities with the dirtiest air

 

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  • The Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN metro area comes in tied as the 15th most polluted region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. The full report is available online at: http://www.stateoftheair.org/2011/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html
  • The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH area ties for 15th most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • The Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH area ties as the 12th most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • The Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV area comes in tied as the 12th most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo Courtesy 'dougtone' via Flickr
  • Charleston, WV comes in tied as the 12th most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo courtesy 'rodneykeene' via Flickr
  • The Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, KY-IN area ties as the tenth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo courtesy 'Angry Aspie' via Flickr
  • Modesto comes in as the tenth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • The Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN area comes in as the ninth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • The Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman area comes in as the eighth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo courtesy 'sailorbill' via Flickr
  • The Pittsburgh-New Castle area comes in as the seventh most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo courtesy Chuck Szmurlo.
  • The Fresno-Madera area comes in as the sixth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo Courtesy 'Qymekkam'.
  • The Hanford-Corcoran area comes in as the fifth most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo of The Bastille in Hanford, California Courtesy 'Armona'
  • The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside area comes in a three-way tie for second most polluted metro region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Photo courtesy Marshall Astor
  • The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Arizona region finishes in a three-way tie for second most polluted region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • The Visalia-Porterville area comes in a three-way tie for second most polluted region according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe.
  • Bakersfield-Delano has the misfortune of taking the title as the American city with the most polluted air according to the American Lung Association's 2011 'State of the Air' report. (Rankings based on year-round particle pollution numbers). Particle pollution refers to a mix of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2011/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html Photo courtesy 'nickchapman' via Flickr
  • Drawing from a variety of available data resources, the America’s Most Literate Cities study ranks the largest cities (population 250,000 and above) in the United States. This study focuses on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources. Photo courtesy Chuck Szmurlo.
  • Drawing from a variety of available data resources, the America’s Most Literate Cities study ranks the largest cities (population 250,000 and above) in the United States. This study focuses on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.

  • The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH area comes in 3rd with 36% of its residents qualifying as being obese. Source: Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Nationwide, 26.1% of American adults were obese in 2011. Gallup tracks U.S. obesity levels as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, using Americans' self-reported height and weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) scores. BMI scores of 30 or higher are considered obese.