SmogRank / Cleaner or dirtier / Mexico

Mexico: cleaner or dirtier, 2026

In Mexico, 29 cities have enough days in both years to compare 2026 so far (1 January to 6 October) with the same days of 2025: 15 got dirtier and 13 cleaner.

Every city's change from 2025 to 2026, one column each, biggest rise on the left, coloured by its 2026 level. Above the line: dirtier. Below: cleaner.

The 15 cities that got dirtier, biggest rise first

#	City	2025	2026	Change
1	AguascalientesMexico	64	80	+8.8 µg/m³+55%
2	MexicaliBaja California, Mexico	63	75	+6.1 µg/m³+39%
3	TijuanaBaja California, Mexico	64	74	+5.4 µg/m³+34%
4	Pachuca de SotoHidalgo, Mexico	55	61	+3.1 µg/m³+27%
5	Zacatepec de HidalgoMorelos, Mexico	56	61	+2.8 µg/m³+24%
6	PueblaMexico	66	71	+2.5 µg/m³+15%
7	CelayaGuanajuato, Mexico	64	67	+1.8 µg/m³+11%
8	Santiago de QuerétaroQuerétaro, Mexico	58	60	+0.9 µg/m³+7%
9	Heroica MatamorosTamaulipas, Mexico	54	55	+0.8 µg/m³+8%
10	IrapuatoGuanajuato, Mexico	64	65	+0.7 µg/m³+4%
11	SalamancaGuanajuato, Mexico	63	65	+0.7 µg/m³+4%
12	Mexico CityMexico	68	69	+0.5 µg/m³+3%
13	Naucalpan de JuárezMéxico, Mexico	73	74	+0.3 µg/m³+1%
14	AbasoloGuanajuato, Mexico	57	57	+0.3 µg/m³+2%
15	ZapopanJalisco, Mexico	60	61	+0.3 µg/m³+2%

The 13 cities that got cleaner, biggest fall first

#	City	2025	2026	Change
1	Ciudad JuárezChihuahua, Mexico	69	55	−7.6 µg/m³−40%
2	Ciudad Benito JuárezNuevo León, Mexico	70	61	−4.9 µg/m³−25%
3	Santa CatarinaNuevo León, Mexico	71	65	−3.5 µg/m³−17%
4	MonterreyNuevo León, Mexico	68	62	−3.0 µg/m³−17%
5	TehuacánPuebla, Mexico	66	61	−2.8 µg/m³−16%
6	Atotonilco de TulaHidalgo, Mexico	75	70	−2.5 µg/m³−11%
7	NogalesSonora, Mexico	55	52	−1.6 µg/m³−14%
8	San Miguel de AllendeGuanajuato, Mexico	59	57	−1.1 µg/m³−8%
9	La Providencia Siglo XXIHidalgo, Mexico	59	57	−1.0 µg/m³−8%
10	TulancingoHidalgo, Mexico	62	60	−0.7 µg/m³−5%
11	Mixquiahuala de JuárezHidalgo, Mexico	66	65	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
12	León de los AldamaGuanajuato, Mexico	66	64	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
13	TlaquepaqueJalisco, Mexico	73	72	−0.5 µg/m³−2%

Means in US AQI over the days a city was measured in both years, the same calendar days each year; a city needs 55% of the days paired, and at least 30. The change is in µg/m³ and per cent. How we compare.

Good0–50

Moderate51–100

Sensitive groups101–150

Unhealthy151–200

Very unhealthy201–300

Hazardous301+

The US EPA's Air Quality Index for PM2.5 (2024 breakpoints). Show values as: µg/m³ · US AQI · India AQI · China AQI · European AQI · UK DAQI · Canada AQHI+. About the scales

Updated 2026-10-07 12:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors, as the US AQI PM2.5 sub-index.