These SC cities have the worst air pollution in the state, new report shows

South Carolina is known for its beautiful parks, lush forests and mesmerizing beaches, where people can enjoy a breath of fresh air outside the city.

However, while SC has lower air pollution levels than most states, not every area in SC has exceptional air quality, as you’d expect, according to a new report.

The American Lung Association released its 2026 State of the Air report, a national report card using data from the Environmental Protection Agency to grade U.S. counties and cities on air quality.

The nonprofit organization ranked and graded cities based on their levels of ozone and two measures of particle pollution in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

This is the 27th report they’ve released, and even after decades of successful efforts to reduce air pollution, 44% of Americans, around 152 million people, are still living in places that get failing grades for unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution.

“Clean air is essential to the health and well-being of families across South Carolina. Children deserve to breathe air that won’t make them sick,” said Danna Thompson, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association.

A concerning trend that emerged from this year’s report was that several states, including SC, experienced increased levels of particle pollution. Additionally, no county in SC showed any improvement in this air quality standard, making SC one of only six states to have this characteristic. The other states are Texas, Wyoming, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

In comparison, three-quarters of the U.S., mostly in the West, saw a drop in statewide particle pollution.

Charleston, Florence and Myrtle Beach still had the best area quality out of the reported metro areas in SC, and are among three of the cleanest cities in the nation.

Here are the two metro areas in SC where air quality is the most troubling:

SC metro areas with the worst air quality

Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro area

This area in SC ranks 91st worst nationally for ozone pollution, earning a D grade. On the bright side, the area earned a B grade for short-term particle pollution and is ranked 154th in the nation.

The metro area received a passing grade for year-round particle pollution and ranks 78th worst nationally.

Individually, Greenville County had zero days of elevated ozone levels and received a B grade for short-term particle pollution. Spartanburg County was the real culprit, having the highest amount of elevated ozone levels in the state, and earning a B grade for short-term particle pollution.

Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg metro area

The Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg metro area ranks 135th worst nationally for ozone pollution, earning a C grade.

The metro area ranks 137th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution and received a C grade. For year-round particle pollution, the area received a passing grade.

This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "These SC cities have the worst air pollution in the state, new report shows."