Charlotte Air Quality in 2024
In 2024, Charlotte's air quality (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area) had a median daily AQI of 53 (Moderate) across 366 monitored days. 5 days (1.4%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 152 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 156 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 223 of those days. The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 55, 3 days above 100, peak 156).
- Good: 41.5%
- Moderate: 57.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.1%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.3%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Charlotte
Today's main pollutant in Charlotte is ground-level ozone (AQI 16). 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 Charlotte's air quality in 2024?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53, with 5 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 5th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2024: 156 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 223 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: August.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Charlotte in 2024?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Charlotte's (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC) median daily AQI for 2024 at 53, which is Moderate. 5 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 156.
Which month had the worst air quality in Charlotte in 2024?▾
The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 55, 3 days above 100, peak 156).
Was 2024 a good or bad year for Charlotte's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2024's median of 53 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Charlotte month by month in 2024
Charlotte air quality month by month, 2024 (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 42 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 51 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 53 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 55 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 54 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 55 | 2 | 115 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 58 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| Augustworst | 31 | 55 | 3 | 156 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 46 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 55 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 51 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 53 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
How 2024 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2024's median of 53 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charlotte
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charlotte's AQI at 16 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charlotte air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC), 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.