San Juan
1.2 mi (2 km) around Puerta de Tierra
Air quality now
AQI 60
8.6%
tree cover
19.2K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
North America · air quality report · 7 cities
Puerto Rico air quality today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now the 7 cities Airleaf measures in Puerto Rico average AQI 62 (moderate). The worst air is in San Juan, at AQI 60, and the cleanest in Bayamón, at AQI 60.
At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 60 across 4 cities. None of the 7 measured cities is over AQI 100 today.
Average right now
AQI 62
Moderate
US EPA index, across 7 cities
- cities measured
- 7
- worst air: San Juan
- 60
- cleanest air: Bayamón
- 60
- average tree cover
- 31.4%
Updated . Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf.
Puerto Rico · average AQI 62
Air quality right now in all 7 cities in Puerto Rico
Moderate
Ponce
1.2 mi (2 km) around Primero
Air quality now
AQI 63
26.5%
tree cover
11.0K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Arecibo
1.2 mi (2 km) around Arecibo Pueblo
Air quality now
AQI 73
42.8%
tree cover
Healthy tree cover
Caguas
1.2 mi (2 km) around Caguas
Air quality now
AQI 60
29.0%
tree cover
3.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Mayagüez
1.2 mi (2 km) around Cárcel
Air quality now
AQI 55
48.2%
tree cover
Healthy tree cover
Bayamón
1.2 mi (2 km) around Centro Tradicional
Air quality now
AQI 60
23.1%
tree cover
21.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Carolina
1.2 mi (2 km) around Carolina
Air quality now
AQI 60
41.6%
tree cover
Healthy tree cover
Across the country
How clean is the air across Puerto Rico today?
None of the 7 measured cities is over AQI 100 today. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
7 measured cities
- Moderate7 (100%)
Every measured city, including model estimates where no ground station is near.
Against everywhere else
How does Puerto Rico compare with other countries?
Right now the cities of Puerto Rico average cleaner air than 35% of the 171 countries Airleaf has enough cities to average, and more tree cover than 69%.
Cleaner air than…
- Puerto Rico
- Beats 35%
More tree cover than…
- Puerto Rico
- Beats 69%
See the most polluted and cleanest air rankings for every country.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Puerto Rico lost?
Since 2001, Puerto Rico has lost about 191,000 acres (77,200 hectares) of forest (about 140,000 football fields): 15% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was storms, floods and other natural causes (41%), after which forest can grow back. About 86,700 acres (35,100 hectares) (45%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 191,000 acres (77,200 ha)about 140,000 football fields
- Share of its forest
- 15%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 86,700 acres (35,100 ha)deforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Acres of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2,700 acres (1,090 ha) | 393 acres (159 ha) | 3,090 acres (1,250 ha) |
| 2002 | 2,520 acres (1,020 ha) | 373 acres (151 ha) | 2,890 acres (1,170 ha) |
| 2003 | 2,600 acres (1,050 ha) | 361 acres (146 ha) | 2,960 acres (1,200 ha) |
| 2004 | 2,830 acres (1,140 ha) | 442 acres (179 ha) | 3,270 acres (1,320 ha) |
| 2005 | 2,780 acres (1,130 ha) | 403 acres (163 ha) | 3,190 acres (1,290 ha) |
| 2006 | 2,720 acres (1,100 ha) | 346 acres (140 ha) | 3,070 acres (1,240 ha) |
| 2007 | 2,220 acres (899 ha) | 346 acres (140 ha) | 2,570 acres (1,040 ha) |
| 2008 | 2,510 acres (1,020 ha) | 479 acres (194 ha) | 2,990 acres (1,210 ha) |
| 2009 | 1,920 acres (779 ha) | 410 acres (166 ha) | 2,340 acres (945 ha) |
| 2010 | 1,200 acres (485 ha) | 272 acres (110 ha) | 1,470 acres (595 ha) |
| 2011 | 2,450 acres (993 ha) | 568 acres (230 ha) | 3,020 acres (1,220 ha) |
| 2012 | 1,260 acres (509 ha) | 348 acres (141 ha) | 1,610 acres (650 ha) |
| 2013 | 1,560 acres (630 ha) | 173 acres (70 ha) | 1,730 acres (700 ha) |
| 2014 | 2,040 acres (825 ha) | 116 acres (47 ha) | 2,150 acres (872 ha) |
| 2015 | 1,570 acres (636 ha) | 215 acres (87 ha) | 1,790 acres (723 ha) |
| 2016 | 1,350 acres (546 ha) | 128 acres (52 ha) | 1,480 acres (598 ha) |
| 2017 | 41,400 acres (16,800 ha) | 96,300 acres (39,000 ha) | 138,000 acres (55,700 ha) |
| 2018 | 1,290 acres (522 ha) | 1,690 acres (682 ha) | 2,980 acres (1,200 ha) |
| 2019 | 1,610 acres (651 ha) | 101 acres (41 ha) | 1,710 acres (692 ha) |
| 2020 | 1,510 acres (612 ha) | 158 acres (64 ha) | 1,670 acres (676 ha) |
| 2021 | 1,550 acres (629 ha) | 148 acres (60 ha) | 1,700 acres (689 ha) |
| 2022 | 1,420 acres (575 ha) | 91 acres (37 ha) | 1,510 acres (612 ha) |
| 2023 | 1,700 acres (687 ha) | 166 acres (67 ha) | 1,860 acres (754 ha) |
| 2024 | 860 acres (348 ha) | 45 acres (18 ha) | 904 acres (366 ha) |
| 2025 | 1,090 acres (440 ha) | 124 acres (50 ha) | 1,210 acres (490 ha) |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 1,440 acres (582 hectares) a year in 2021–2025, down from 29,100 acres (11,800 hectares) a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 138,000 acres (55,700 hectares) of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Puerto Rico?
- Storms, floods and other natural causescan grow back41% · 78,800 acres (31,900 ha)
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good29% · 54,800 acres (22,200 ha)
- Towns and roadscleared for good16% · 31,100 acres (12,600 ha)
Also: shifting farming, logging, wildfires, mining and energy, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
Puerto Rico as a whole
49.7% of Puerto Rico was forested as of 2024, against a 30% benchmark. That already clears the benchmark — the city reports above show where cover is still thin locally. Source: World Bank (FAO).
Build your own
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Puerto Rico
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Cleaner air at home in Puerto Rico
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Frequently asked
Air quality in Puerto Rico: your questions answered
What is the air quality in Puerto Rico today?
Right now the 7 cities Airleaf measures in Puerto Rico average AQI 62 (moderate). The worst air is in San Juan, at AQI 60, and the cleanest in Bayamón, at AQI 60. At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 60 across 4 cities. None of the 7 measured cities is over AQI 100 today.
Which city in Puerto Rico has the worst air right now?
San Juan, at AQI 60 (Moderate) on the US EPA index. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
Which city in Puerto Rico has the cleanest air right now?
Bayamón, at AQI 60 (Moderate). Both lists rank current readings, from ground stations wherever Puerto Rico has at least three cities with one.
Is the air in Puerto Rico safe to breathe today?
It depends on the city. 7 cities are Moderate. At the national average of AQI 62: Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
How much forest has Puerto Rico lost since 2001?
About 191,000 acres (77,200 ha) from 2001 to 2025, 15% of the forest it had in 2000, from the University of Maryland's yearly satellite maps of forest loss. 86,700 acres (35,100 ha) of it was cleared for good, for farms, mines or towns.
How does Airleaf measure air quality in Puerto Rico?
Each city's reading is the US EPA air quality index, from ground monitoring stations where one has reported recently nearby, and from the CAMS atmospheric model elsewhere; each city's report says which. Tree cover is measured over the same 1.2 mi (2 km) radius in every city, so the cities compare like for like.
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