City, China
Air quality in Shanghai
Very polluted
The annual average PM2.5 in Shanghai was 28.4 µg/m³ in 2024, about 5.7 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Usually moderate; winter days can reach unhealthy PM2.5 when northern smog drifts in.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 28.4 µg/m³ yearly average (2024). Measured at Shanghai.
- PM10: 47.3 µg/m³ (2024).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 30.1 µg/m³ (2024), mostly from traffic.
- Worst months: Dec–Feb.
- Recent average: 28.4 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
|---|---|
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2018 |
Air quality across China
| Place | PM2.5 | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Lhasa | 10.3 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Shangri-La | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Sanya | 11.4 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Lijiang | 13.7 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Shenzhen | 17.3 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Dali | 17.6 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Xiamen | 18.8 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Kunming | 19.6 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Huangshan | 20.7 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Guangzhou | 21.1 µg/m³ | Polluted |
| Qingdao | 26.7 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Guilin | 26.9 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Shanghai | 28.4 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Nanjing | 28.5 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Zhangjiajie | 29.6 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Hangzhou | 30.2 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Beijing | 31 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Chengdu | 32 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Chongqing | 33.2 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Suzhou | 33.2 µg/m³ | Very polluted |
| Wuhan | 35.8 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
| Tianjin | 38.4 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
| Changsha | 39.2 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
| Harbin | 40.3 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
| Xi'an | 44 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
| Kashgar | 90.2 µg/m³ | Severely polluted |
Quick answers
Is the air in Shanghai bad?
Very polluted: 28.4 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 5.7× the WHO guideline. It's usually worst in Dec–Feb.
When is the air worst in Shanghai?
Usually moderate; winter days can reach unhealthy PM2.5 when northern smog drifts in.
How does Shanghai compare with the rest of China?
People in China breathe 32 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 28.4 µg/m³ measured here.
More about Shanghai
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- Shanghai Metro
- National Immigration Administration
- Shanghai United Family Hospital
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.