St. Paul Air Quality in 2020

In 2020, St. Paul's air quality (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area) had a median daily AQI of 50 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 3 days (0.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 186 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 163 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 250 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was September (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 44, 3 days above 100, peak 163).

50
Median AQI
Good
3
Days above AQI 100
0.8% of 366 days
66
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
163
Peak AQI
Unhealthy
PM2.5
Main pollutant
250 of 366 days
186
Good days
50.8% of days
  • Good: 50.8%
  • Moderate: 48.4%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.3%

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Even with good outdoor air in St. Paul, indoor PM2.5, dust and allergens build up. A True-HEPA purifier keeps a bedroom or office consistently clean.

Recommended: Levoit Core 400STrue HEPA · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft

Check Price on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

QUICK ANSWER

How was St. Paul's air quality in 2020?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 50, with 3 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 3rd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2020: 163 (Unhealthy).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 250 days.
  • Cleanest month: September; worst: July.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in St. Paul in 2020?

EPA's Air Quality System puts St. Paul's (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI) median daily AQI for 2020 at 50, which is Good. 3 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 163.

Which month had the worst air quality in St. Paul in 2020?

The cleanest month of 2020 was September (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 44, 3 days above 100, peak 163).

Was 2020 a good or bad year for St. Paul's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 50 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 50.

St. Paul month by month in 2020

St. Paul air quality month by month, 2020 (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3156080PM2.5
February2955068PM2.5
March3146066PM2.5
April3047068PM2.5
May3148060O3
June3053087PM2.5
Julyworst31443163PM2.5
August3151077PM2.5
Septembercleanest3041069PM2.5
October3143066PM2.5
November3048080PM2.5
December3155088PM2.5

How 2020 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2020's median of 50 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 50.

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

Right now in St. Paul

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

View current St. Paul air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI), 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.