Baltimore Air Quality in 2023

In 2023, Baltimore's air quality (Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area) had a median daily AQI of 49 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 17 days (4.7%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 201 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 205 (Very Unhealthy). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 199 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 73, 8 days above 100, peak 205).

49
Median AQI
Good
17
Days above AQI 100
4.7% of 365 days
84
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
205
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
O3
Main pollutant
199 of 365 days
201
Good days
55.1% of days
  • Good: 55.1%
  • Moderate: 40.3%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 3.6%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 1.1%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Baltimore's air quality in 2023?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 49, with 17 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2023: 205 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 199 days.
  • Cleanest month: October; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Baltimore in 2023?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Baltimore's (Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD) median daily AQI for 2023 at 49, which is Good. 17 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 205.

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

The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 73, 8 days above 100, peak 205).

Was 2023 a good or bad year for Baltimore'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 49 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 49.

Baltimore month by month in 2023

Baltimore air quality month by month, 2023 (Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3141069PM2.5
February2843062PM2.5
March3146067O3
April30531112O3
May31541101O3
Juneworst30738205O3
July31676126O3
August31510100O3
September30441105O3
Octobercleanest3139084O3
November3047066PM2.5
December3148078PM2.5

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 49 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 49.

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

Right now in Baltimore

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Baltimore's AQI at 31 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Baltimore air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD), 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.