10 Global Cities Where Air Quality Hit Dangerous Levels This Year
Unfortunately, air pollution has become a daily health hazard for millions worldwide. In 2024 and early 2025, several major cities reached alarming levels of air pollution, especially in terms of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter). These particles are small enough to enter your lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart disease and respiratory illness.
We looked at the latest data from Oizom, IQAir, and local governments to spotlight the cities where air quality became dangerously unsafe this year.
Lahore, Pakistan
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 99.5 µg/m³
The air quality of Lahore is like walking through fog that burns your lungs. It topped global charts, with PM2.5 levels hitting almost 100 on average. At times, the air got so bad that they literally handed out masks to kids, and even schools shut down. Crop burning and nonstop traffic keep the city in a constant haze.
New Delhi, India
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 92.7 µg/m³
Delhi didn’t catch a break this year, either. Every winter, it turns into a gas chamber—no exaggeration. Stubble burning from nearby farms, growing traffic, and cold air trap it all. The air was 15 times dirtier than what’s considered safe. You could barely see your hand in front of your face.
Hotan, China (Xinjiang Province)
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 94.3 µg/m³
Hotan isn’t a name you hear often, but its pollution levels are off the charts. It’s a desert city in China, so you’ve got dust blowing in nonstop. Add coal-burning factories, and you’ve got air that’s hard to breathe on a good day. In 2024, it regularly hit dangerous levels—over 200 on the AQI scale.
Bhiwadi, India (Rajasthan)
Credit: X
Average PM2.5 (2024): 92.7 µg/m³
Bhiwadi kind of flies under the radar, but it shouldn’t. This industrial town near Delhi actually had worse average air quality than many big-name cities. It’s surrounded by factories, truck traffic, and brick kilns. And there’s barely any green space to help. People there are breathing in thick, toxic air almost daily.
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 80.2 µg/m³
Dhaka’s air feels like it’s always under attack, and pollution has become a part of everyday life here. You’ve got rapid urban growth, traffic that never ends, and thousands of brick kilns pumping smoke into the sky. In 2024, a lot of days were labeled “very unhealthy.” Parents say their kids constantly have coughs.
Peshawar, Pakistan
Credit: Facebook
Average PM2.5 (2024): 85.4 µg/m³
Peshawar is a city that really struggles to catch a breath (quite literally!). The city sits in a valley that has a geographic position that traps pollution like a lid on a pot. When winter hits, it gets worse. People burn wood and trash for heat, and the air gets thick fast. Hospitals see more people with breathing issues.
Kathmandu, Nepal
Credit: Facebook
Average PM2.5 (2024): 78.3 µg/m³
Much like Peshawar, Kathmandu is also a bowl-shaped valley, which sounds scenic until you realize it traps smog. In early 2024, the air quality got so bad that the government declared multiple emergencies. Dust from construction, car fumes, and burning trash all contribute. You smell it before you see it.
Jakarta, Indonesia
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 56.2 µg/m³
Between traffic, coal plants, and forest fire smoke blowing in, Jakarta’s air got thick and very unhealthy. In fact, people filed lawsuits against the government for not doing enough. There were days you stepped outside and instantly felt it in your chest and eyes. And it wasn’t even fire season yet.
Belgrade, Serbia
Credit: Reddit
Winter PM2.5 Peaks: >90 µg/m³
If you visited Belgrade in winter, you probably noticed the air smelled weird. That’s because people burn coal, wood, and even plastic to heat their homes. In January 2025, the smog got worse and resulted in delayed flights. Some neighborhoods reported needing masks indoors. The cold in the region hurts, but the air hurts more.
São Paulo, Brazil
Credit: Reddit
AQI Spikes (Sept 2024): Over 200
Last September, this city of 12 million was suddenly swallowed by forest fire smoke. Fires in the Amazon drifted over and turned the sky orange for São Paulo. To make it worse, the AQI hit over 200. People stayed indoors, and schools were closed down. The skyline disappeared in smoke.
Skopje, North Macedonia
Credit: Reddit
Average PM2.5 (2024): 65.7 µg/m³
Skopje doesn’t get much international attention, but it definitely made it to a lot of lists for its awful air quality. In winter, people burn whatever they can: tires, wood, and even trash to heat their homes and environments. Late 20254 saw PM2.5 levels reach more than ten times the global safety limit. People were literally choking for clean air and held protests because of it.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Credit: Reddit
Winter PM2.5 Peaks: Over 250
In Ulaanbaatar, winters mean pollution you can see and taste. Most homes still burn raw coal, which sends thick smoke into the air. In early 2025, AQI readings hit hazardous levels for days in a row. Kids couldn’t go to school, and people had to wear masks indoors.
Accra, Ghana
Credit: Reddit
PM2.5 Spikes: 60–80 µg/m³ (Unregulated)
Accra’s air pollution often goes unnoticed on the global stage, but it’s hard to ignore that it’s getting worse. People burn trash in open pits, traffic keeps growing, and there’s little regulation to keep it in check. Poorer areas near industrial zones regularly see the worst of it. There’s not enough monitoring either, so many don’t even know how bad it really is.
Los Angeles, USA
Credit: Reddit
Most Ozone-Polluted U.S. City (2024)
LA might look sunny and clean in pictures, but it leads the U.S. in ozone pollution. That’s not the good kind of ozone either. Smog hangs over the city, especially in summer. 2024’s heatwaves made it worse. Kids and older adults felt it the most and experienced coughing, shortness of breath, and more ER visits.
Mexico City, Mexico
Credit: flickr
Frequent AQI Alerts: Over 150
Mexico City’s high altitude sounds cool until you realize it traps smog. Add traffic and heatwaves, and you get a pollution cocktail. The city issued several AQI alerts last year. Driving restrictions kicked in, and clinics got busy fast. It’s a beautiful city, but the air isn’t always safe.