The present invention suppresses the amount of dust generated by the absorbent and the amount of dust that increases with time, and provides an absorbent with a high absorption ratio under no pressure, absorption performance under pressure, vertical diffusion absorption under pressure, and absorption for a short time at low cost, and increases over time in a short time. It also provides a method for evaluating the amount of dust. The particulate water absorbing agent according to the present invention is a particulate water absorbing agent containing as a main component a surface crosslinked polyacrylic acid (salt) water absorbent resin, and contains a hydrophilic polymer compound and a stabilizer.