El Paso’s Air Pollution Ranks Ninth Among Major U.S. Cities in 2024

EL PASO, Texas — El Paso ranked as the ninth-most polluted city in the United States for air quality in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by IQAir, a Switzerland-based organization that monitors air quality globally. The report comes in the wake of severe dust storms that recently worsened the city’s air quality, leading to some of the worst conditions recorded in its history.

The IQAir report measured small particulate matter pollution, primarily PM 2.5, which can originate from dust, industrial activities, and vehicle emissions. El Paso recorded an average concentration of 7.8 micrograms of PM 2.5 per cubic meter of air for the year.

“I hope that residents, particularly in El Paso, take a look at the report and the data in the report and really use it to inform themselves about the quality of the air that they’re breathing,” said Christi Chester Schroeder, IQAir’s air quality science manager, during a press briefing. “Texas has a pretty sparse air quality monitoring network relative to its size, so not all residents always have hyper-local air quality data. It’s important to raise awareness.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PM 2.5 particles are small enough to infiltrate the human body, where they can aggravate conditions like asthma, cancer, and lung disease, especially in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and young children.

<p“El Paso's daily particulate pollution is the highest it's been for this time of year since at least 2000,” Schroeder remarked, emphasizing the growing health concerns linked to particulate matter.

Los Angeles topped the list for the highest levels of particulate pollution, while three other Texas cities, San Antonio, Houston, and Fort Worth, outpaced El Paso in pollution levels. Last week, El Paso experienced intense dust storms that reportedly produced four of the top five highest pollution days recorded at the Chamizal air quality monitor since it began collecting data in 1999, with peaks from March 3 to 6.

El Paso’s unusual levels of dust this year correlate with 2023 and 2024 being marked as the hottest years on record for the city, alongside a continuous drought since August 2023. This drought period is one of the longest in El Paso’s history, contributing to the drying of vegetation that typically stabilizes soil.

In 2025, El Paso has only received 0.07 inches of precipitation, compared to a historical norm of 0.9 inches, and the region is experiencing “severe” drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

March wind speeds in the area have averaged 12.1 miles per hour, faster than the typical 9.9 miles per hour expected this time of year, contributing to the rise in dust levels. The National Weather Service also forecasts another round of strong winds and dust from Thursday afternoon through Friday evening.

<p“Air quality and climate change are deeply interconnected,” Chester Schroeder noted, calling attention to the factors contributing to air quality issues. “Both share a common driver: the burning of fossil fuels.”

To combat increasing levels of particulate pollution, IQAir officials advocate a transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources and promoting electric vehicle adoption, as traditional combustion engines are significant contributors to particulate matter emissions.

In 2023, 58% of El Paso Electric’s electricity supply came from natural gas-fired power plants. While 42% derived from non-fossil fuel sources like solar and nuclear power, the city is still reliant on fossil fuels. As of last week, there were about 6,200 electric vehicles registered in El Paso County, an increase from 4,300 the year prior.

“Paving streets can be tremendously effective in reducing air pollution,” stated Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir, highlighting the importance of maintaining clean infrastructure. El Paso city officials have been in the process of crafting a climate action plan that could address such issues, though funding for these initiatives remains uncertain.

Despite its high pollution ranking among U.S. cities, El Paso’s air quality is relatively better on the global stage. The nationwide average for particulate pollution in the U.S. is 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter, which is lower than El Paso’s 2024 average.

According to IQAir, data was gathered from over 40,000 monitoring stations across nearly 9,000 cities. Chester Schroeder reaffirmed the goal of raising awareness, stating, “When people are informed about what is going on in their environment, they can put pressure on local governments to improve.”