What's the air quality in England and Wales? NO₂ 10.6 µg/m³
In 2025 the average resident of England and Wales lived with background NO₂ of 10.6 µg/m³, 1.1 times the WHO guideline of 10. PM2.5 was 7.8 µg/m³, 1.6 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
- 7.8 µg/m³
- 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 England and WalesIs the air quality good in England and Wales?
Background NO₂ in England and Wales is 10.6 µg/m³, 1.1 times the WHO guideline of 10, and higher than the typical area (7.2). Background PM2.5 in England and Wales is 7.8 µg/m³, 1.6 times the WHO guideline of 5, and higher than the typical area (7.4). 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): 10.6 µg/m³
| 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): 7.8 µg/m³
| 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 England and Wales has the cleanest air?
Cymru / Wales has the lowest background NO₂ of the 2 areas of England and Wales, at 6.5 µg/m³. England has the highest, at 10.8 µg/m³. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh air quality against cost.
| Area | NO₂ | PM2.5 | NO₂ band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cymru / WalesLow | 6.5 | 6.2 | Low | £241,973 |
| EnglandVery High | 10.8 | 7.8 | Very High | £354,381 |
Levels in µg/m³, 2025 annual average.
Does 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 England and Wales, NO₂ can be much higher. Councils publish roadside monitoring in their annual air quality reports.
What else do people ask about England and Wales?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space, crime, air quality and listed buildings in England and Wales.
- What is the average house price in England and Wales?
- When did average house prices in England and Wales reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in England and Wales?
- What type of properties are sold in England and Wales?
- What price range do most homes sell for in England and Wales?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of England and Wales?
- How many parks and green spaces are in England and Wales?
- What is the crime rate in England and Wales?
- How many listed buildings are in England and Wales?
- How do England and Wales 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. Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), licensed under the Open Government Licence. 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 01:43 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The England and Wales dataset covers 2,376,017 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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