Worcester Air Quality in 2023

In 2023, Worcester's air quality (Worcester, MA-CT area) had a median daily AQI of 40 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 4 days (1.1%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 265 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 148 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 204 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was November (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 48, 1 day above 100, peak 148).

40
Median AQI
Good
4
Days above AQI 100
1.1% of 365 days
58
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
148
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
O3
Main pollutant
204 of 365 days
265
Good days
72.6% of days
  • Good: 72.6%
  • Moderate: 26.3%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.1%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

Reduce Indoor Ozone in Worcester

Today's main pollutant in Worcester is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). 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 300True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Worcester's air quality in 2023?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 40, with 4 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2023: 148 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 204 days.
  • Cleanest month: November; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Worcester in 2023?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Worcester's (Worcester, MA-CT) median daily AQI for 2023 at 40, which is Good. 4 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 148.

Which month had the worst air quality in Worcester in 2023?

The cleanest month of 2023 was November (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 48, 1 day above 100, peak 148).

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

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here. 2023's median of 40 is below the area's typical annual median of 43.

Worcester month by month in 2023

Worcester air quality month by month, 2023 (Worcester, MA-CT, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3135056PM2.5
February2842063PM2.5
March3139061O3
April30471112O3
May3144077O3
Juneworst30481148O3
July31501145PM2.5
August3139063O3
September3038086O3
October31311113O3
Novembercleanest3032058O3
December3136061O3

How 2023 compares

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

2023's median of 40 is below the area's typical annual median of 43.

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

Right now in Worcester

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Worcester's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Worcester air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Worcester, MA-CT), 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.