Boston Air Quality in 2022
In 2022, Boston's air quality (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area) had a median daily AQI of 49 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 6 days (1.6%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 197 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 122 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 252 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 40, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak 122).
- Good: 54.0%
- Moderate: 44.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.6%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Boston
Today's main pollutant in Boston is ground-level ozone (AQI 28). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How was Boston's air quality in 2022?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 49, with 6 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2022: 122 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 252 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: September; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Boston in 2022?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Boston's (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) median daily AQI for 2022 at 49, which is Good. 6 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 122.
Which month had the worst air quality in Boston in 2022?▾
The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 40, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak 122).
Was 2022 a good or bad year for Boston's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 49 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 48.
Boston month by month in 2022
Boston air quality month by month, 2022 (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 55 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 52 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 51 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 45 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 44 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 48 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 55 | 4 | 122 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 51 | 2 | 113 | O3 |
| Septembercleanest | 30 | 40 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 51 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 40 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 51 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
How 2022 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2022's median of 49 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 48.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Boston
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Boston's AQI at 28 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Boston air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH), 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.