City report · North Carolina, United States
Wilmington Air quality today
Air quality in Wilmington currently reads AQI 96 (Moderate): Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
Air quality right now
AQI 96
Moderate
- PM2.5, fine particles (µg/m³)
- 33.5
- tree cover
- 39.1%
- trees in this area
- 114K
- more trees needed
- 0
Measured across a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius around Riverfront, Wilmington, NC 28401, USA (4.9 sq mi), from a satellite image of Sep 6, 2026. Lower AQI is better: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous.
Wilmington · AQI 96 (Moderate)
Wilmington's tree count comes to 113,992 trees across 4.5 sq mi (11.66 km²) of land, already at or above the 30% tree-cover level considered healthy for this area.
Air quality detail
Air quality in Wilmington today: AQI 96, Moderate
Main pollutant: PM2.5 · Observed Nov 11, 10:00 local time via OpenAQ and World Air Quality Index Project ground stations, US EPA index. Values in µg/m³.
Ground station · Castle H, North Carolina, USA, 9.6 mi (15.5 km) away · median of 2 stations
Health signal
Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
PM2.5
33.5
PM10
44.1
NO₂
—
O₃
—
SO₂
—
CO
—
Data: OpenAQ · AirNow, World Air Quality Index Project, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Air Now - US EPA
- Outdoor exercise
- Fine for most people; unusually sensitive people should take long or hard exercise easier
- Windows
- Fine to open; close them if you are sensitive to pollution
- Mask
- Not needed for most people
- Air purifier
- Worth running if you are sensitive
Over the last 7 days, the CAMS air-quality model put Wilmington's daily AQI at 33 on average, from 21 on Nov 9 to an hourly peak of 61 on Nov 10.
Where Wilmington stands: the most polluted cities in the world right now · the cleanest
Tree cover detail
Tree cover in Wilmington: Healthy tree cover
39.1% tree cover against a 30% healthy-neighborhood target, across 4.5 sq mi (11.66 km²) of land.
Trees in this area
113,992
Target trees
113,992
More trees needed
0
CO₂ if planted / yr
0 kg
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Wilmington lost?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Wilmington has lost about 8,660 acres (3,500 hectares) of forest (about 6,500 football fields): 26% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (76%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads.
2017: satellite photo from September 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km southwest of the city center.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 8,660 acres (3,500 ha)about 6,500 football fields
- Share of its forest
- 26%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 6,620 acres (2,680 ha)deforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 279 acres (113 hectares) a year in 2021–2025, against 300 acres (121 hectares) a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2004, when about 776 acres (314 hectares) of forest were lost.
Acres of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 135 acres (55 ha) | 72 acres (29 ha) | 207 acres (84 ha) |
| 2002 | 172 acres (70 ha) | 72 acres (29 ha) | 244 acres (99 ha) |
| 2003 | 118 acres (48 ha) | 34 acres (14 ha) | 151 acres (61 ha) |
| 2004 | 736 acres (298 ha) | 40 acres (16 ha) | 776 acres (314 ha) |
| 2005 | 455 acres (184 ha) | 20 acres (8 ha) | 474 acres (192 ha) |
| 2006 | 465 acres (188 ha) | 128 acres (52 ha) | 593 acres (240 ha) |
| 2007 | 442 acres (179 ha) | 126 acres (51 ha) | 568 acres (230 ha) |
| 2008 | 182 acres (74 ha) | 283 acres (115 ha) | 465 acres (188 ha) |
| 2009 | 141 acres (57 ha) | 215 acres (87 ha) | 356 acres (144 ha) |
| 2010 | 174 acres (70 ha) | 137 acres (56 ha) | 311 acres (126 ha) |
| 2011 | 201 acres (82 ha) | 5 acres (2 ha) | 207 acres (84 ha) |
| 2012 | 214 acres (87 ha) | 24 acres (10 ha) | 238 acres (96 ha) |
| 2013 | 204 acres (83 ha) | 70 acres (28 ha) | 274 acres (111 ha) |
| 2014 | 383 acres (155 ha) | 255 acres (103 ha) | 638 acres (258 ha) |
| 2015 | 178 acres (72 ha) | 81 acres (33 ha) | 259 acres (105 ha) |
| 2016 | 257 acres (104 ha) | 27 acres (11 ha) | 284 acres (115 ha) |
| 2017 | 262 acres (106 ha) | 67 acres (27 ha) | 329 acres (133 ha) |
| 2018 | 306 acres (124 ha) | 27 acres (11 ha) | 334 acres (135 ha) |
| 2019 | 277 acres (112 ha) | 82 acres (33 ha) | 358 acres (145 ha) |
| 2020 | 152 acres (62 ha) | 42 acres (17 ha) | 194 acres (79 ha) |
| 2021 | 136 acres (55 ha) | 16 acres (7 ha) | 152 acres (62 ha) |
| 2022 | 432 acres (175 ha) | 111 acres (45 ha) | 544 acres (220 ha) |
| 2023 | 159 acres (64 ha) | 22 acres (9 ha) | 181 acres (73 ha) |
| 2024 | 203 acres (82 ha) | 51 acres (21 ha) | 255 acres (103 ha) |
| 2025 | 231 acres (93 ha) | 34 acres (14 ha) | 264 acres (107 ha) |
What is causing deforestation around Wilmington?
- Towns and roadscleared for good69% · 6,000 acres (2,430 ha)
- Loggingcan grow back23% · 1,990 acres (807 ha)
- Mining and energycleared for good5.7% · 489 acres (198 ha)
Also: farms, pasture and plantations, storms, floods and other natural causes, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 34,000 acres (13,700 ha)
- Forest in 2020
- 32,100 acres (13,000 ha)
- Overall change
- −1,820 acres (738 ha)less forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Wilmington shrank from about 34,000 acres (13,700 hectares) to 32,100 acres (13,000 hectares), a net loss of about 1,820 acres (738 hectares) (−5.4%). New forest grew on about 2,070 acres (838 hectares), but 3,890 acres (1,580 hectares) were lost.
These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
These figures cover everything within 10 km of the city center, a wider area than the report above, because forest is usually lost at a city's edges.
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. Forest gained and lost 2000–2020: Potapov et al. 2022, UMD GLAD Global Land Cover and Land Use Change, CC BY 4.0. Images: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data. How it's measured
In the same region
Measured cities near Wilmington
Same 2 km radius, same index — so they compare directly.
- Fayetteville124.6 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 43%
- Air quality
- 18
- Raleigh182.1 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 41%
- Air quality
- 47
- Cary189.0 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 70%
- Air quality
- 22
- Durham213.9 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 49%
- Air quality
- 26
- North Charleston242.7 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 36%
- Air quality
- 70
- Charleston245.5 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 27%
- Air quality
- 70
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Frequently asked
Questions about Wilmington
What is the air quality (AQI) in Wilmington right now?
The latest reading for Wilmington shows an AQI of 96 (Moderate), measured Nov 11, 10:00 local time by 2 ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ (the median of their readings; the nearest is Castle H, North Carolina, USA, 9.6 mi (15.5 km) away). The main pollutant is PM2.5. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
Is it safe to exercise outside in Wilmington today?
At AQI 96 (Moderate): fine for most people; unusually sensitive people should take long or hard exercise easier. Windows: fine to open; close them if you are sensitive to pollution. Masks: not needed for most people. The reading changes through the day, so check again before a long run or ride.
What has the air quality in Wilmington been like this week?
Over the last 7 days, the CAMS air-quality model put Wilmington's daily AQI at 33 on average, from 21 on Nov 9 to an hourly peak of 61 on Nov 10. No day averaged above 100, the level where the air turns unhealthy for sensitive groups.
How much forest has the area around Wilmington lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Wilmington has lost about 8,660 acres (3,500 hectares) of forest (about 6,500 football fields): 26% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (76%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads. Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 279 acres (113 hectares) a year in 2021–2025, against 300 acres (121 hectares) a year in 2016–2020. Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Wilmington shrank from about 34,000 acres (13,700 hectares) to 32,100 acres (13,000 hectares), a net loss of about 1,820 acres (738 hectares) (−5.4%). New forest grew on about 2,070 acres (838 hectares), but 3,890 acres (1,580 hectares) were lost.
What is the tree count in Wilmington?
Wilmington has an estimated 113,992 trees across the 4.5 sq mi (11.66 km²) of land measured — 39.1% tree cover, already past the 30% tree-cover target set for this area.
How many more trees does Wilmington need?
Wilmington has already reached its tree-cover target, so no additional trees are needed to close the gap.
How are Wilmington's air quality and tree cover measured?
Air quality is measured by ground monitoring stations near Riverfront, via OpenAQ; the 7-day trend is the Open-Meteo / CAMS model's estimate. Tree cover is measured from Sentinel-2 L2A (ESA Copernicus) via Earth Search satellite imagery at 10 m detail across a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius around Riverfront; the tree count is an estimate derived from that cover.
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