City in Hawaii, United States
Air quality in Honolulu
Meets the WHO guideline
The annual average PM2.5 in Honolulu was 3 µg/m³ in 2021, about 0.6 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Vog from Kilauea on the Big Island can occasionally drift to Oahu; usually clean thanks to trade winds.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 3 µg/m³ yearly average (2021). Measured at Urban Honolulu, HI, 10 km away.
- PM10: 11 µg/m³ (2021).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 6 µg/m³ (2021), mostly from traffic.
- Recent average: 3.2 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
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| 2021 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | |
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| 2015 | |
| 2015 |
Air quality across United States
| Place | PM2.5 | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Maui | 2 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Honolulu | 3 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Kauai | 3 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Big Island | 3 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Lake Tahoe | 5.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Portland | 5.8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Denver | 6 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Seattle | 6.1 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Miami | 6.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Miami Beach | 6.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Washington, D.C. | 6.3 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Boston | 6.4 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Orlando | 6.7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| New York City | 7.1 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Philadelphia | 7.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Charleston | 7.3 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Nashville | 7.7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Phoenix | 7.9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Scottsdale | 8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Napa Valley | 8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| New Orleans | 8.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| San Diego | 8.2 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Atlanta | 8.5 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Dallas | 8.5 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Chicago | 8.7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Austin | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| San Antonio | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Las Vegas | 9.7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Los Angeles | 10.5 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Houston | 11.1 µg/m³ | Moderate |
Quick answers
Is the air in Honolulu bad?
Meets the WHO guideline: 3 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 0.6× the WHO guideline.
When is the air worst in Honolulu?
Vog from Kilauea on the Big Island can occasionally drift to Oahu; usually clean thanks to trade winds.
How does Honolulu compare with the rest of United States?
People in United States breathe 7 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 3 µg/m³ measured here.
More about Honolulu
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- TheBus and Skyline (Oahu Transit Services / Honolulu DTS)
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
- Hawaii Tourism Authority (Go Hawaii)
- Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.