Phoenix Air Quality in 2022
In 2022, Phoenix's air quality (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ area) had a median daily AQI of 79 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 108 days (29.6%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 21 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 689 (Hazardous). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 166 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was February (median AQI 69, 0 days above 100) and the worst was January (median 143, 30 days above 100, peak 187).
- Good: 5.8%
- Moderate: 64.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 21.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 8.2%
Extra Protection for Phoenix Homes
Air quality in Phoenix is moderate (AQI 75), with particle pollution the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
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How was Phoenix's air quality in 2022?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 79, with 108 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2022: 689 (Hazardous).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 166 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: February; worst: January.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Phoenix in 2022?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Phoenix's (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ) median daily AQI for 2022 at 79, which is Moderate. 108 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 689.
Which month had the worst air quality in Phoenix in 2022?▾
The cleanest month of 2022 was February (median AQI 69, 0 days above 100) and the worst was January (median 143, 30 days above 100, peak 187).
Was 2022 a good or bad year for Phoenix's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 79 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 79.
Phoenix month by month in 2022
Phoenix air quality month by month, 2022 (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januaryworst | 31 | 143 | 30 | 187 | O3 |
| Februarycleanest | 28 | 69 | 0 | 100 | PM10 |
| March | 31 | 71 | 1 | 107 | PM10 |
| April | 30 | 76 | 7 | 135 | PM10 |
| May | 31 | 84 | 9 | 140 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 107 | 17 | 264 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 92 | 11 | 461 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 108 | 20 | 689 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 72 | 5 | 158 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 58 | 2 | 601 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 73 | 0 | 89 | PM10 |
| December | 31 | 77 | 6 | 189 | PM2.5 |
How 2022 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2022's median of 79 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 79.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Phoenix
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Phoenix's AQI at 75 (PM10). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Phoenix air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ), 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.