SAN DIEGO (FOX 5\/KUSI) \u2014 The American Lung Association\u2019s 2026 list of most polluted places to live has ranked San Diego\u2019s air quality among the worst in the country.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0American Lung Association<\/a>\u2018s 27th annual\u00a0\u201cState of the Air\u201d report<\/a> found nearly half of U.S. children are breathing unhealthy levels of pollution in the air. The report grades counties based on how much smog (ground-level ozone air pollution) and soot (particle pollution) levels are in the air over a three year period, and San Diegans are among 75.9 million people, including 33.5 million children, living across the country with a failing grade.<\/p>\n Air advisory in southern San Diego due to hydrogen sulfide <\/a><\/p>\n San Diego ranked 59th last year, and was listed as the 5th most polluted place to live in 2026 for year-round particle pollution, which the report stated was the biggest change on the entire list.<\/p>\n With a population of 3.2 million, the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metropolitan area in 5th place falls below Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran, CA at number four; Eugene-Springfield, OR at number three; Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, TX at number two; and the most polluted area on the list \u2014 Bakersfield-Delano, CA.<\/p>\n Visalia, CA and Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA metropolitan areas fall just after San Diego on the list at numbers six and seven.<\/p>\n The San Diego metropolitan area also ranked as the 7th most ozone-polluted city in the U.S. for 2026.<\/p>\n San Diego got a big F grade<\/a> on its annual report card for partial pollution, an F in ozone levels and a D in short-term 24-hour particle pollution. View the report card for your state and county here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Locally, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD)\u00a0monitors air quality<\/a> and has been actively monitoring hydrogen sulfide levels<\/a>\u00a0in southern San Diego from transboundary wastewater and sewage flows near the Tijuana River Valley, which have been spiking up and down in recent months.<\/p>\n View real-time air quality in your area at airnow.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n The American Lung Association says fine particulate matter air pollution, also known as PM2.5, particle pollution or soot, can be deadly and comes from wildfires, wood-burning stoves, coal-fired power plants, diesel engines and other sources.<\/p>\n The report also found that over 129 million people (38% of the nation\u2019s population) lived in counties earning F grades for ozone pollution, which is nearly 4 million more than last year\u2019s report, and is worsened by things like extreme heat and smoke. <\/p>\n State-of-the-Air-2026-Report<\/a>Download<\/a><\/p>\n The report found only one city \u2014 Bangor, Maine \u2014 made the cleanest cities list in 2026 for all three pollution measures.<\/p>\n Compare that to last year when two cities made the list, and in 2024 when five cities made the cleanest cities list, reflecting an overall worsening of air quality across the country, according to the report.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n