SmogRank / Countries / United States / North Carolina

Most polluted cities in North Carolina, United States

15 measured cities ranked by PM2.5, last 30 days. Worst: Wake Forest at 11.0 µg/m³, #350 in the world.

#City µg/m³
1Wake Forest low-cost sensorsNorth Carolina
11.0
2Charlotte North Carolina
7.8
3Winston-Salem North Carolina
7.5
4Asheville North Carolina
7.4
5Clemmons North Carolina
7.2
6Fayetteville North Carolina
7.2
7Morrisville North Carolina
7.2
8Lexington North Carolina
7.0
9Roanoke Rapids North Carolina
6.8
10Greensboro North Carolina
6.6
11Hickory North Carolina
6.5
12Clayton North Carolina
6.4
13Durham North Carolina
6.0
14Raleigh North Carolina
5.9
15Greenville North Carolina
5.1
Good 0–9.0Moderate 9.1+Unhealthy for sensitive groups 35.5+Unhealthy 55.5+Very unhealthy 125.5+Hazardous 225.5+No data

Estimated: cities without a monitor

North Carolina cities we can't measure, with model estimates for the last 7 days. Listed by population, not ranked: estimates aren't precise enough to rank. Model estimates from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), adjusted to measured cities nearby where there are any. Adjusted, a single day lands within ×1.5 of what a monitor would read about two times in three; unadjusted, it can be off by half or double. Treat them as a guide, not a measurement.

City7-day estimateBand
Cary estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Wilmington estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
High Point estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Concord estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Gastonia estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Jacksonville estimated≈ 9 µg/m³Good
Chapel Hill estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Rocky Mount estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Huntersville estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Burlington estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Wilson estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Kannapolis estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Apex estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Indian Trail estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
Goldsboro estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
Monroe estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Salisbury estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Holly Springs estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Matthews estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
New Bern estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Fort Bragg estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Sanford estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Cornelius estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Garner estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Thomasville estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Statesville estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Asheboro estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Mint Hill estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
Fuquay-Varina estimated≈ 7 µg/m³Good
Kernersville estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Lumberton estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Kinston estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
Carrboro estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Havelock estimated≈ 6 µg/m³Good
Shelby estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good
Boone estimated≈ 3 µg/m³Good
Elizabeth City estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Leland estimated≈ 5 µg/m³Good
Lenoir estimated≈ 3 µg/m³Good
Morganton estimated≈ 4 µg/m³Good

Updated 2026-10-01 12:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 in µg/m³ (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors.