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Data: GasBuddy; Note: Price as of the 1st of each month; Chart: Axios Visuals

Drivers in the Boston metro area have paid an average of $3.46 per gallon of regular gasoline in May, compared to $4.77 a year ago.

The big picture: Gas prices set record all-time highs last year amid a broader inflation crisis, driven in part by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which destabilized global energy markets.

Zoom out: Gas prices nationally are rising slightly compared to previous months — but they're still well below last year's levels as we head into the travel-heavy summer season.

The nationwide average price per gallon of regular gasoline has been $3.53 throughout May 2023, compared to $4.60 a year ago.

Prices are still well above pre- and mid-pandemic levels.

While gas prices fluctuate from state to state, they tend to follow the same up-and-down trends nationwide.

What they're saying: "Despite mild weather and a less volatile economic forecast, drivers are not hitting the road and raising gasoline demand to traditional seasonal levels," said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross in a statement.

Yes, but: AAA and others are predicting near-record travel this summer, which could spike demand — and thus lead to higher prices.

Between the lines: The Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency waiver last month allowing the summertime sale of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol in a bid to suppress prices.

So-called E15 gas is typically avoided in summer due to smog concerns.

The bottom line: People love cheap(er) gas — but higher prices can have the long-term benefit of driving consumers to more efficient and cleaner hybrid and electric cars.

Bostonians are paying less at the pump this summer

Gas prices set record all-time highs last year amid a broader inflation crisis.

Drivers in the Boston metro area have paid an average of $3.46 per gallon of regular gasoline in May, compared to $4.77 a year ago.The big picture: Gas prices set<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" record all-time highs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/gas-prices-hit-new-all-time-high" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/gas-prices-hit-new-all-time-high" target="_self"> record all-time highs</a> last year amid a broader inflation crisis, driven in part by Russia&#x27;s invasion of Ukraine, which destabilized global energy markets.

News

It’s (mostly) safe to breathe today. The worst of the haze from Canada’s wildfires is over for Greater Boston.

What's happening: The Boston area faced the brunt of the smoke on Tuesday and early Wednesday, prompting the state to issue an air quality alert.

Winds are pushing the haze farther west and mitigating the impact on us the rest of the week, says Bill Leatham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Boston.

Why it matters: Breathing unhealthy levels of smoke and other air pollution can increase someone’s risk of developing lung and heart conditions, per the Environmental Protection Agency.

For those with pre-existing lung and heart conditions, the poor air quality can also trigger asthma and heart attacks, which can be fatal.

Catch up fast: Smoke has triggered air quality alerts for millions of people across the northeastern U.S., writes Axios’ Jacob Knutson.

How it works: The EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) had Boston at AQI levels ranging from 42 to 92 during the day yesterday.

An AQI of 0 to 50 is considered "good" air quality, while 51 to 100 is considered "moderate" quality.

Any value above 100 is considered to be unhealthy, especially for sensitive groups of people.

At levels between 151 and 300, everyone is recommended to either reduce or avoid intense activities outdoors.

🧠 Be smart: Most of us should be OK today and tomorrow, but the lingering air pollution could still harm elders, young children and people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, Leatham says.

They should stay inside for the next couple of days.

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that pet owners keep animals indoors as much as possible and keep windows shut during periods of poor air quality, as they are also affected by air pollution — especially birds.

How the wildfire smoke is affecting Boston's air quality

A map showing that Boston and its immediate suburbs are experiencing moderate air quality. 

It’s (mostly) safe to breathe today. The worst of the haze from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Canada’s wildfires" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/30/canada-wildfire-evacuations-halifax-nova-scotia" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/30/canada-wildfire-evacuations-halifax-nova-scotia" target="_self">Canada’s wildfires</a> is over for Greater Boston.What&#x27;s happening: The Boston area faced the brunt of the smoke on Tuesday and early Wednesday, prompting the state to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="issue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.mass.gov/news/massdep-air-quality-advisory-impact-expected-statewide" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.mass.gov/news/massdep-air-quality-advisory-impact-expected-statewide" target="_blank">issue</a> an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="air quality" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/07/wildfire-air-pollution-danger" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/07/wildfire-air-pollution-danger" target="_self">air quality</a> alert.<ul><li>Winds are pushing the haze farther west and mitigating the impact on us the rest of the week, says Bill Leatham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Boston.</li></ul>

Climate

Data: EPA; Note: A concentration below 12 micrograms per cubic meter is considered healthy; Chart: Axios Visuals

Air quality in Greater Boston, as measured by fine particle pollution, has improved over the last two decades to become some of the cleanest big city air in America.

By the numbers: The three-year rolling annual average concentration of fine particle pollution across eastern Massachusetts was 6.4 micrograms per cubic meter as of 2021 (the latest year for which data is available), compared to 11.7 in 2000 — a 45% decrease.

Concentrations below 12 micrograms per cubic meter are considered healthy, the EPA says — though it is seeking to tighten that standard.

Why it matters: Fine particles, generated from fossil fuel burning and other sources, can enter our bodies when we breathe, making their way to the lungs or bloodstream and causing myriad health problems.

They are linked to nearly 11,000 excess deaths across the U.S. annually, by one estimate.

Non-white and low-income Americans are at a higher risk of death from exposure to fine particle pollution compared to other groups, per a 2022 study published in Nature.

The big picture: Air quality generally improved nationwide during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in part because fewer people were driving.

But as the pandemic ebbs and people's behaviors and activities return to normal, air quality nationally is worsening accordingly.

Zoom in: Air quality decreased notably between 2015 and 2021 in parts of Western states such as California, Oregon and Washington, where extended periods of extreme drought have created prime conditions for wildfires, and thus increased pollution from smoke.

What's next: The EPA in January proposed reducing its fine particle pollution standard from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to "a level between 9 and 10."

Changing the standard to 9 micrograms would prevent up to 4,200 premature deaths per year and 270,000 lost workdays per year, and result in as much as $43 billion in net health benefits in 2032, the agency says.

The EPA is also taking other steps to improve air quality, including via newly proposed vehicle emissions standards.

Yes, but: Public health advocacy groups say the fine particulate standard should be even lower than the EPA's proposed range.

The agency's proposal "misses the mark and is inadequate to protect public health from this deadly pollutant," the American Lung Association said in a statement.

The other side: Industry groups, meanwhile, argue that lowering the standard would be overly burdensome.

The bottom line: As the fight over lowering the fine particle standard heats up, the EPA once again finds itself at the heart of the climate change and public health debate.

Boston's air quality keeps getting better

The three-year rolling annual average concentration of fine particle pollution across eastern Massachusetts was 6.4 micrograms per cubic meter as of 2021.

Air quality in Greater Boston, as measured by fine particle pollution, has improved over the last two decades to become some of the cleanest big city air in America.By the numbers: The three-year rolling annual average concentration of fine particle pollution across eastern Massachusetts was 6.4 micrograms per cubic meter as of 2021 (the latest year for which data is available), compared to 11.7 in 2000 — a 45% decrease.

Boston ranked 10th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, per the latest report from the Trust for Public Land, a pro-parks nonprofit.

Why it matters: Parks bring a wealth of benefits — including, as TPL points out in its latest annual report, significant health boosts. They offer space for physical activity and social gatherings, improve visitors’ moods and provide a reprieve from noise and air pollution.

Residents of the top 25 cities by ParkScore are less likely to report poor mental health or low physical activity, per the report.

How it works: The group rates cities on the percentage of residents who live near a park, the share of city land reserved for parks, parks investment and other metrics. Cities are then awarded a "ParkScore."

By the numbers: Boston scored a perfect 100 for access, 49 for acreage, 58 for amenities, 78 for equity and 79 for investment.

A perfect access score means 100% of Boston residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, whether it’s the Common, Franklin Park or part of the Emerald Necklace.

Boston’s access score stands well above the median average of 55% for all urban U.S. cities and towns.

Yes, but: Bostonians know park access doesn't necessarily mean there's an abundance of "destination" parks, which is why Boston scored lower for equity and acreage.

Residents in neighborhoods of color have 12% less park space per person than those in predominantly white neighborhoods, the report says.

Low-income neighborhoods have 19% less park space per person than high-income neighborhoods.

The big picture: Access remains a troublesome issue across the country, Linda Hwang, TPL senior director for strategy and innovation, tells Axios. Residents of predominantly nonwhite neighborhoods have access to 43% less park space per person than residents of predominantly white neighborhoods.

Zoom in: Washington, D.C., took top honors in TPL's latest ranking largely thanks to its parks investment and access scores.

The District is spending $259 per capita on parks — more than double the $108 average among the 100 most populous cities. Boston is spending roughly $176 per capita on parks.

What they’re saying: Cities increasingly view their parks and parks departments through a public health lens, says Howard Frumkin, TPL senior vice president and director of the Land and People Lab.

"Simply defining parks as part of the public health infrastructure of a community, and then steering some health dollars towards the parks because they're healthy, is a really interesting innovation," Frumkin tells Axios.

"And it's not rare — it's getting more and more common."

Reality check: Not every city park is a multi-acre Olmstedian masterpiece — yet even diminutive "pocket parks" and community garden lots confer physical, mental and social benefits.

"If there's a pocket park with no sports facilities at all, but I walked 12 minutes to get there and I walk 12 minutes home, I've got my 24 minutes of moderate activity for that day," Frumkin says.

Boston is one of the best cities for public parks

Parks bring a wealth of benefits — including significant health boosts.

A section of the Emerald Necklace, seen from above. Photo: Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Boston ranked 10th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, per the latest report from the Trust for Public Land, a pro-parks nonprofit.Why it matters: Parks bring a wealth of benefits — including, as TPL points out in its<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" latest annual report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tpl.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Power-of-Parks-to-Promote-Health-A-Trust-for-Public-Land-Special-Report.pdf" data-vars-content-id="c596d5f8-abeb-4fc9-ac95-042601f6bf7e" data-vars-headline="Boston is one of the best cities for public parks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tpl.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Power-of-Parks-to-Promote-Health-A-Trust-for-Public-Land-Special-Report.pdf" target="_blank"> latest annual report</a>, significant health boosts. They offer space for physical activity and social gatherings, improve visitors’ moods and provide a reprieve from noise and air pollution.

Data: BLS; Note: Rate is seasonally-adjusted; Chart: Axios Visuals

The unemployment rate in the Boston metropolitan area was 3.1% in February — a 0.1 percentage point increase from the previous month. It remains lower than the national average, per a new analysis of Labor Department data.

Why it matters: Looking at only the national unemployment rate can hide significant disparities between cities that are thriving and those that are struggling.

By the numbers: Nationally, the unemployment rate was 3.5% as of March — down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, and down 0.1 percentage point year over year.

As of February — the latest month for which city-level data is available — Boston’s unemployment rate edged past a handful of major U.S. metro areas, including Miami (2.2%), Minneapolis (2.4%) and Tampa (2.5%).

But unemployment rose above 4% in other cities, including in Las Vegas (5.7%), Chicago (4.4%), Los Angeles (4.3%) and Houston (4.3%).

The bottom line: While unemployment is down nationally, some cities are struggling with it more than others.

The Fed, meanwhile, is keeping a close eye on employment levels as a measure of the economy's overall temperature.

Boston metro outdoing national average on jobs

The national unemployment rate was 3.5% as of March.

The unemployment rate in the Boston metropolitan area was 3.1% in February — a 0.1 percentage point increase from the previous month. It remains lower than the national average, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a new analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/13/unemployment-rate-us-cities" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/13/unemployment-rate-us-cities" target="_self">a new analysis</a> of Labor Department data.Why it matters: Looking at only the national unemployment rate can hide significant disparities between cities that are thriving and those that are struggling.

Kavya Beheraj

Featured stories

How the wildfire smoke is affecting Boston's air quality

Boston is one of the best cities for public parks

Bostonians are paying less at the pump this summer

Boston's air quality keeps getting better

Boston metro outdoing national average on jobs