Bakersfield Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Bakersfield's air quality (Bakersfield, CA area) had a median daily AQI of 69 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 70 days (19.2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 85 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 174 (Unhealthy). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 217 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was March (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 105, 18 days above 100, peak 161).
- Good: 23.3%
- Moderate: 57.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 15.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 3.3%
Extra Protection for Bakersfield Homes
Air quality in Bakersfield is moderate (AQI 70), 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 Bakersfield's air quality in 2023?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 69, with 70 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 2nd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 174 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 217 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: March; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Bakersfield in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Bakersfield's (Bakersfield, CA) median daily AQI for 2023 at 69, which is Moderate. 70 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 174.
Which month had the worst air quality in Bakersfield in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was March (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 105, 18 days above 100, peak 161).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Bakersfield's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2023's median of 69 is below the area's typical annual median of 72.
Bakersfield month by month in 2023
Bakersfield air quality month by month, 2023 (Bakersfield, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 58 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 55 | 1 | 111 | PM2.5 |
| Marchcleanest | 31 | 44 | 0 | 60 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 54 | 3 | 122 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 61 | 3 | 122 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 71 | 5 | 140 | O3 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 105 | 18 | 161 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 100 | 14 | 174 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 86 | 8 | 156 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 67 | 6 | 143 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 68 | 1 | 158 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 84 | 10 | 157 | PM2.5 |
How 2023 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2023's median of 69 is below the area's typical annual median of 72.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Bakersfield
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Bakersfield's AQI at 70 (PM10). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Bakersfield air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Bakersfield, CA), 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.