Air pollution is worse in census tracts with higher shares of people of color

Below, census tracts are grouped into tiers, from lowest share of people of color to highest. Here’s how the median PM2.5 levels for each tier compares to the US average in our dataset.

+15% above US

average PM2.5

+15%

PM2.5

+10%

More people

of color

+5%

US avg

(8.6µg/m3)

–5%

-5%

PM2.5

0-10%

People of

color

30-

40%

60-

70%

90-

100%

+15% above US

average PM2.5

+15%

PM2.5

+10%

+5%

More people

of color

US avg

(8.6µg/m3)

–5%

-5%

PM2.5

0-10%

People of

color

30-

40%

60-

70%

90-

100%

+15%

PM2.5

+15% above US

average PM2.5

+10%

More people

of color

+5%

US avg

(8.6µg/m3)

–5%

-5%

PM2.5

0-10%

People

of color

10-

20%

20-

30%

30-

40%

40-

50%

50-

60%

60-

70%

70-

80%

80-

90%

90-

100%

+15%

PM2.5

+15% above US

average PM2.5

+10%

More people

of color

+5%

US avg

(8.6µg/m3)

–5%

-5%

PM2.5

0-10%

People

of color

10-

20%

20-

30%

30-

40%

40-

50%

50-

60%

60-

70%

70-

80%

80-

90%

90-

100%

+15%

PM2.5

+15% above US

average PM2.5

+10%

More people

of color

+5%

US avg

(8.6µg/m3)

–5%

-5%

PM2.5

0-10%

People

of color

10-

20%

20-

30%

30-

40%

40-

50%

50-

60%

60-

70%

70-

80%

80-

90%

90-

100%

Guardian graphic. Sources: Center for Air, Climate and Energy Solutions, Census Bureau. Note: Census tracts’ share of people of color is defined as the share of the population that is not non-Hispanic white.