Anchorage Air Quality in 2020

In 2020, Anchorage's air quality (Anchorage, AK area) had a median daily AQI of 29 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 281 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 103 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 283 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was June (median AQI 15, 0 days above 100) and the worst was January (median 62, 1 day above 100, peak 103).

29
Median AQI
Good
1
Days above AQI 100
0.3% of 366 days
57
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
103
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
PM2.5
Main pollutant
283 of 366 days
281
Good days
76.8% of days
  • Good: 76.8%
  • Moderate: 23.0%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Anchorage's air quality in 2020?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 29, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2020: 103 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 283 days.
  • Cleanest month: June; worst: January.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Anchorage in 2020?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Anchorage's (Anchorage, AK) median daily AQI for 2020 at 29, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 103.

Which month had the worst air quality in Anchorage in 2020?

The cleanest month of 2020 was June (median AQI 15, 0 days above 100) and the worst was January (median 62, 1 day above 100, peak 103).

Was 2020 a good or bad year for Anchorage's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 29 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 27.

Anchorage month by month in 2020

Anchorage air quality month by month, 2020 (Anchorage, AK, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
Januaryworst31621103PM2.5
February2933059PM2.5
March3136057PM2.5
April3028063PM2.5
May3127065PM10
Junecleanest3015028PM2.5
July3118052PM2.5
August3116039PM2.5
September3023062PM2.5
October3143082PM2.5
November3049081PM2.5
December3144089PM2.5

How 2020 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2020's median of 29 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 27.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Anchorage

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Anchorage's AQI at 49 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Anchorage air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Anchorage, AK), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.