Indianapolis area reported to have some of the most polluted air in country

INDIANAPOLIS — The air quality in the Greater Indianapolis area is reportedly getting worse.

The 2025 “State of the Air” report shared that Hoosiers are being exposed to more unhealthy ozone smog and particle pollution.

According to the American Lung Association, the Central Indiana area ranks as the 21st worst for particle pollution out of 223 urban areas. Further, it ranks the 54th worst out of 228 urban areas for ground-level ozone pollution.

“Unfortunately, too many Hoosiers in Greater Indianapolis are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution. This air pollution is a threat to human health at every stage of life – from increasing the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies to causing or worsening lung disease,” said Tiffany Nichols, Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association.

“We urge Indiana’s Federal policymakers to take action to improve our air quality, including voting for strong policies that address indoor air pollution and climate change, and we are calling on everyone to support the incredibly important work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”

Ozone smog and particle pollution can cause premature death or have other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, pre-term births, and impaired cognitive functioning later in life.

Learn more about the air quality in Indiana here.