What's the air quality in West Somerset? NO₂ 3.2 µg/m³
In 2025 the average resident of West Somerset lived with background NO₂ of 3.2 µg/m³, Very Low for England and Wales and below the WHO guideline of 10. PM2.5 was 5.7 µg/m³, Very Low for England and Wales and 1.1 times the WHO guideline of 5. The typical area in England and Wales has NO₂ of 7.2 and PM2.5 of 7.4 µg/m³.
- PM2.5
- 5.7 µg/m³
- NO₂ for England and Wales
- Very Low
- Figures for
- 2025 annual average
Modelled background levels averaged over where residents live (Census 2021), not roadside levels. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Defra modelled background pollution, 2025. How we calculate this
All house prices in West SomersetIs the air quality good in West Somerset?
Background NO₂ in West Somerset is 3.2 µg/m³, below the WHO guideline of 10, and lower than the typical area (7.2). That puts it in the Very Low band. Background PM2.5 in West Somerset is 5.7 µg/m³, 1.1 times the WHO guideline of 5, and lower than the typical area (7.4). That puts it in the Very Low band. Most of England and Wales is above the WHO guideline for PM2.5, so the bands compare places with each other rather than giving a pass or fail.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂): 3.2 µg/m³
NO₂ level is Very Low, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very Low means the lowest fifth of areas in England and Wales for NO₂.
| Very Low | up to 4.7 |
|---|---|
| Low | 4.7 to 6.5 |
| Typical | 6.5 to 7.7 |
| High | 7.7 to 9.2 |
| Very High | over 9.2 |
WHO guideline: 10 µg/m³ (in the Very High band). UK legal limit: 40 µg/m³.
Fine particles (PM2.5): 5.7 µg/m³
PM2.5 level is Very Low, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very Low means the lowest fifth of areas in England and Wales for PM2.5.
| Very Low | up to 6.0 |
|---|---|
| Low | 6.0 to 7.2 |
| Typical | 7.2 to 7.7 |
| High | 7.7 to 8.2 |
| Very High | over 8.2 |
WHO guideline: 5 µg/m³ (in the Very Low band). UK legal limit: 20 µg/m³, with a target of 10 µg/m³ in England by 2040.
The bands split every area we cover into fifths by its level, from Very Low to Very High. The map uses the same colours.
Which part of West Somerset has the cleanest air?
Greater Exmoor Ward has the lowest background NO₂ of the 13 areas of West Somerset, at 2.2 µg/m³. Quantock Vale Ward has the highest, at 3.9 µg/m³. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh air quality against cost.
| Area | NO₂ | PM2.5 | NO₂ band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Exmoor WardVery Low | 2.2 | 5.0 | Very Low | £435,500 |
| Porlock and District WardVery Low | 2.4 | 5.2 | Very Low | £416,316 |
| Brendon Hills WardVery Low | 2.7 | 5.4 | Very Low | £608,125 |
| Dulverton and District WardVery Low | 2.8 | 5.3 | Very Low | £392,913 |
| Dunster and Timberscombe WardVery Low | 2.9 | 5.5 | Very Low | £343,352 |
| MineheadVery Low | 3.1 | 5.7 | Very Low | £254,320 |
| Old Cleeve WardVery Low | 3.2 | 5.7 | Very Low | £350,572 |
| Carhampton and Withycombe WardVery Low | 3.3 | 5.7 | Very Low | £335,600 |
| Crowcombe and Stogumber WardVery Low | 3.3 | 5.8 | Very Low | £475,658 |
| West Quantock WardVery Low | 3.5 | 5.9 | Very Low | £430,232 |
| WatchetVery Low | 3.6 | 6.1 | Very Low | £236,861 |
| WillitonVery Low | 3.8 | 6.0 | Very Low | £244,386 |
| Quantock Vale WardVery Low | 3.9 | 6.4 | Very Low | £420,747 |
Levels in µg/m³, 2025 annual average.
How does air quality in West Somerset compare with nearby areas?
Background NO₂ in West Somerset compared with the nearest other area in Somerset West and Taunton.
Compare West Somerset with a different areaDoes this include busy roads?
No. These are background levels: yearly averages over 1 km squares, away from the immediate influence of roads. Right beside a busy road in West Somerset, NO₂ can be much higher. Councils publish roadside monitoring in their annual air quality reports.
What else do people ask about West Somerset?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space, crime, air quality and listed buildings in West Somerset.
- What is the average house price in West Somerset?
- When did average house prices in West Somerset reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in West Somerset?
- What type of properties are sold in West Somerset?
- What price range do most homes sell for in West Somerset?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of West Somerset?
- How many parks and green spaces are in West Somerset?
- What is the crime rate in West Somerset?
- How many listed buildings are in West Somerset?
- How do West Somerset house prices compare with another area?
Where does this data come from?
Price information is from HM Land Registry, location boundaries are from OpenStreetMap, and households and population are from Nomis Census 2021 postcode estimates (21 March 2021). Parks and green space are from OS Open Greenspace. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Crime is from police.uk street-level data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk. Listed buildings and scheduled monuments are from Historic England and Cadw, and conservation areas from planning.data.gov.uk. © Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Source: planning.data.gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Air quality is from Defra modelled background pollution maps. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Defra modelled background pollution, 2025.
Last updated 11 November 2026 at 01:36 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The West Somerset dataset covers 2,140 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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