US air quality now
At our last check (Oct 31, 2026, 2:20 AM ET), AirNow had current readings for 727 areas in 50 states and territories, counting DC. 557 were Good and 169 Moderate. 1 was Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse; the highest was St. Maries, Idaho, at an AQI of 161 (Unhealthy), from fine particles (PM2.5). These readings are preliminary.
Reporting areas in each of EPA's AQI categories, by their current reading. Most readings are for the hour ending Oct 31, 2026, 2:00 AM ET.
Highest readings now
The 20 reporting areas with the highest current AQI, with the agency that reports each one. Today's forecast is the agency's own, where it issued one.
| Area | State | AQI | Category | Today's forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. MariesIdaho Department of Environmental Quality | Idaho | 161 | Unhealthyfine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (52) |
| BurnsOregon Dept. of Environmental Quality | Oregon | 96 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | – |
| JacksonMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | Michigan | 93 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good |
| LansingMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | Michigan | 93 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good |
| Mt PleasantMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | Michigan | 93 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good |
| SoutheastMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | Michigan | 93 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good |
| PortolaNorthern Sierra AQMD | California | 88 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (58) |
| Little Rock-North Little RockArkansas Department of Environmental Quality | Arkansas | 86 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (65) |
| Denver-BoulderColorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Colorado | 84 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate |
| La PineOregon Dept. of Environmental Quality | Oregon | 80 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | – |
| TwispWashington Department of Ecology | Washington | 79 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | – |
| MiamiQuapaw Nation | Oklahoma | 78 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | – |
| Dallas-Fort WorthTexas Commission on Environmental Quality | Texas | 78 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate |
| CharlestonWest Virginia Division of Air Quality | West Virginia | 75 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | – |
| Grand RapidsMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | Michigan | 74 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good |
| Big Bear LakeSouth Coast AQMD | California | 73 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good (46) |
| AtlantaGeorgia Department of Natural Resources | Georgia | 73 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (53) |
| BirminghamAlabama Department of Environmental Management | Alabama | 72 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (60) |
| ChattanoogaTennessee Air Pollution Control Div. | Tennessee | 72 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Moderate (60) |
| Oklahoma CityOklahoma Department of Environmental Quality | Oklahoma | 70 | Moderatefine particles (PM2.5) | Good (40) |
Every state
The highest current reading in each state, and how many of its reporting areas have one. A state's other areas can be much cleaner.
| State | Areas | Highest | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 25 | 161 | UnhealthySt. Maries |
| Oregon | 44 | 96 | ModerateBurns |
| Michigan | 14 | 93 | ModerateJackson |
| California | 135 | 88 | ModeratePortola |
| Arkansas | 3 | 86 | ModerateLittle Rock-North Little Rock |
| Colorado | 15 | 84 | ModerateDenver-Boulder |
| Washington | 41 | 79 | ModerateTwisp |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 78 | ModerateMiami |
| Texas | 14 | 78 | ModerateDallas-Fort Worth |
| West Virginia | 9 | 75 | ModerateCharleston |
| Georgia | 11 | 73 | ModerateAtlanta |
| Alabama | 8 | 72 | ModerateBirmingham |
| Tennessee | 13 | 72 | ModerateChattanooga |
| South Carolina | 8 | 66 | ModerateFlorence and Darlington |
| Ohio | 8 | 64 | ModerateCincinnati |
| North Carolina | 29 | 63 | ModerateNew Hanover County |
| Mississippi | 6 | 62 | ModerateCleveland |
| Missouri | 11 | 61 | ModerateSpringfield |
| Montana | 16 | 59 | ModerateLibby |
| Wisconsin | 13 | 59 | ModerateGreen Bay and Fox Cities |
| Florida | 32 | 58 | ModerateHolmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties |
| Kentucky | 10 | 58 | ModerateLouisville |
| Illinois | 14 | 57 | ModerateSt. Louis (Metro-east) |
| Indiana | 13 | 56 | ModerateFort Wayne |
| North Dakota | 4 | 56 | ModerateBismarck |
| Maryland | 10 | 53 | ModerateNorthern Baltimore |
| Minnesota | 16 | 53 | ModerateWest Central Minnesota |
| Iowa | 6 | 52 | ModerateNortheast Iowa |
| Kansas | 5 | 52 | ModerateWichita |
| Alaska | 5 | 51 | ModerateJuneau |
| Arizona | 15 | 51 | ModerateRillito |
| New Hampshire | 6 | 51 | ModerateCheshire County |
| Virginia | 12 | 51 | ModerateHampton Roads |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 50 | GoodMercer County |
| Nebraska | 7 | 47 | GoodWTN2 |
| Wyoming | 18 | 45 | GoodMedicine Bow National Forest |
| Nevada | 10 | 42 | GoodReno-Sparks |
| Utah | 16 | 39 | GoodCanyonlands National Park |
| New Mexico | 11 | 37 | GoodChaco Culture National Historical Park |
| South Dakota | 8 | 37 | GoodSioux Falls |
| New Jersey | 9 | 32 | GoodCentral |
| New York | 8 | 32 | GoodCentral New York Region |
| Delaware | 4 | 31 | GoodGreater New Castle County |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 28 | GoodNorthern Virginia and DC |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 27 | GoodProvidence |
| Maine | 7 | 26 | GoodWestern Mountains |
| Connecticut | 8 | 22 | GoodDanbury |
| Vermont | 3 | 22 | GoodBurlington |
| Hawaii | 9 | 21 | GoodOcean View |
| Massachusetts | 11 | 21 | GoodCape Cod and Islands |
What the AQI categories mean
EPA's own descriptions, from AirNow's AQI Basics. The higher the AQI, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern.
| Category | AQI | What EPA says |
|---|---|---|
| GoodAQI 0 to 50 | 0 to 50 | Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
| ModerateAQI 51 to 100 | 51 to 100 | Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive GroupsAQI 101 to 150 | 101 to 150 | Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected. |
| UnhealthyAQI 151 to 200 | 151 to 200 | Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. |
| Very UnhealthyAQI 201 to 300 | 201 to 300 | Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone. |
| HazardousAQI 301 and higher | 301 and higher | Health warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected. |
On a poor air day
EPA says AQI values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. Above 100, air quality is unhealthy: at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as the values get higher.
AirNow's Activity Guides explain ways to protect your health when the AQI reaches unhealthy levels. For wildfire smoke, AirNow points to its Fire and Smoke Map to check on smoke in your area. Your state, local or tribal air agency is the authority for air quality forecasts and advisories where you live.
AirNow Activity Guides · EPA's AQI Basics · Fire and Smoke Map · US wildfires now · N95 masks compared
Questions
What is the air quality in the US right now?
At our last check (Oct 31, 2026, 2:20 AM ET), 557 of the 727 areas with a current AirNow reading were Good, 169 Moderate and 1 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse.
Where is the air worst right now?
St. Maries, Idaho (AQI 161, Unhealthy), at our last check.
What do the AQI colors mean?
EPA's AQI has six categories, each with a color: green for Good (0 to 50), yellow for Moderate (51 to 100), orange for Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101 to 150), red for Unhealthy (151 to 200), purple for Very Unhealthy (201 to 300) and maroon for Hazardous (301 and higher).
Are these readings official?
They're preliminary. AirNow says its data get preliminary quality checks but not the full validation used for EPA's regulatory database, the Air Quality System, and are used only to report the AQI to the public. The readings come from the federal, state, local and tribal air agencies that report to AirNow.
How often is this page updated?
AirNow updates its data files several times an hour, and most readings arrive within about an hour of being measured. We read AirNow's file every six hours, so check AirNow or your local air agency for the latest hour.
Source: AirNow (US EPA, with federal, state, local and tribal air quality agencies), newest reading Oct 31, 2026, 2:00 AM ET, read by us Oct 31, 2026, 2:20 AM ET. US government data from EPA's AirNow program, owned by the federal, state, local and tribal agencies that report it. Preliminary: not fully verified or validated, subject to change, and passed on as received. Terms of use.
Readings reported through AirNow by 129 federal, state, local and tribal agencies
Alabama Department of Environmental Management · Albuquerque Environmental Health Department · Antelope Valley AQMD · Arizona Department of Environmental Quality · Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality · Bay Area Air District · Broward County Natural Resources Division · Butte County Air Quality Management District · Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District · California Air Resources Board · Catawba Indian Nation · Cherokee Nation · City of Canton · City of Jacksonville - Environmental Quality Division · City of La Grande · City of Wichita · Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability · Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment · Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection · Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environment · Douglas County Health Department (Omaha) · EPA Office of Atmospheric Protection · EPA Region 10 · Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District · Eastgate Regional Council of Governments · El Dorado County AQMD · Evansville EPA - Vanderburgh County Health Dept. · Feather River Air Quality Management District · Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection · Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection · Georgia Department of Natural Resources · Gila River Indian Community DEQ Air Quality Program · Glenn County Air Pollution Control District · Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District · Hamilton County Environmental Services · Hawaii State Dept. of Health · Hillsborough County - Tampa · Idaho Department of Environmental Quality · Illinois EPA · Imperial County Air Pollution Control District · Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management 2 · Indianapolis Office of Sustainability · Iowa DNR · Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment · Kentucky DEP · Klamath County · Lane Regional Air Protection Agency · Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization · Lima-Allen County Regional Planning Commission · Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District · MORPC · Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection · Maryland Department of the Environment · Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection · Mendocino County AQMD · Metropolitan Washington COG · Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management · Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy · Mid-America Regional Council · Minnesota Pollution Control Agency · Mississippi DEQ · Missouri Department of Natural Resources · Mojave Desert AQMD · Montana DEQ · Monterey Bay Unified APCD · National Park Service · Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy · Nevada Division of Environmental Protection · New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services · New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection · New Mexico Air Quality Bureau · New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation · Nez Perce Tribe · North Carolina DEQ - Division of Air Quality · North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District · North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality · Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency · Northern Nevada Public Health Air Quality Management Division · Northern Sierra AQMD · Northwest Clean Air Agency · Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality · Olympic Region Clean Air Agency · Orange County Environmental Protection Division · Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality · Palm Beach County Health Department Division of Environmental Science and Engineering · Pechanga Band of Indians · Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection · Pinellas County · Placer County APCD · Polk Co. Air Quality Division · Puget Sound Clean Air Agency · Quality Review and Exchange System for Tribes (QREST) · Quapaw Nation · Regional Air Pollution Control Agency - Dayton · Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management · Sacramento Metro. AQMD · Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community · San Diego APCD · San Joaquin Valley Unified APCD · San Luis Obispo County APCD · Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District · Shasta County Air Quality Management District · Shelby County Health Department · Siskiyou County APCD · South Carolina DES · South Coast AQMD · South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources · Southern Ute Tribe · Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency · Springfield Air Quality Control · St. Louis Metropolitan Area (American Lung Association) · State of Alaska DEC · Tehama County Air Pollution Control District · Tennessee Air Pollution Control Div. · Texas Commission on Environmental Quality · Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments · Tuolumne County APCD · Utah Department of Environmental Quality · Ute Tribe · Ventura County APCD · Vermont Air Quality & Climate Division · Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality · Washington Department of Ecology · West Virginia Division of Air Quality · Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska · Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources · Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality · Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency · Yolo-Solano AQMD