Los Angeles Air Quality in 2023

In 2023, Los Angeles's air quality (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area) had a median daily AQI of 67 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 87 days (23.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 41 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 210 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 203 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was March (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 161, 30 days above 100, peak 210).

67
Median AQI
Moderate
87
Days above AQI 100
23.8% of 365 days
147
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
210
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
PM2.5
Main pollutant
203 of 365 days
41
Good days
11.2% of days
  • Good: 11.2%
  • Moderate: 64.9%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 14.2%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 9.6%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Los Angeles's air quality in 2023?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 67, with 87 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2023: 210 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 203 days.
  • Cleanest month: March; worst: July.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Los Angeles in 2023?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Los Angeles's (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA) median daily AQI for 2023 at 67, which is Moderate. 87 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 210.

Which month had the worst air quality in Los Angeles in 2023?

The cleanest month of 2023 was March (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 161, 30 days above 100, peak 210).

Was 2023 a good or bad year for Los Angeles's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here. 2023's median of 67 is below the area's typical annual median of 74.

Los Angeles month by month in 2023

Los Angeles air quality month by month, 2023 (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3164082PM2.5
February2863097PM2.5
Marchcleanest3155064PM2.5
April30737156O3
May31537136O3
June30593192O3
Julyworst3116130210O3
August3111219208O3
September30909164O3
October31668172O3
November30632164PM2.5
December31692153PM2.5

How 2023 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here.

2023's median of 67 is below the area's typical annual median of 74.

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

Right now in Los Angeles

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Los Angeles's AQI at 41 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Los Angeles air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 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.