Durham Air Quality in 2019
In 2019, Durham's air quality (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area) had a median daily AQI of 48 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 204 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 87 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 201 of those days. The cleanest month of 2019 was December (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was February (median 54, 0 days above 100, peak 73).
- Good: 55.9%
- Moderate: 44.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Durham's air quality in 2019?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 5th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2019: 87 (Moderate).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 201 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst: February.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Durham in 2019?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Durham's (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC) median daily AQI for 2019 at 48, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 87.
Which month had the worst air quality in Durham in 2019?▾
The cleanest month of 2019 was December (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was February (median 54, 0 days above 100, peak 73).
Was 2019 a good or bad year for Durham's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2019's median of 48 is above the area's typical annual median of 44.
Durham month by month in 2019
Durham air quality month by month, 2019 (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 52 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| Februaryworst | 28 | 54 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 53 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 49 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 47 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 51 | 0 | 87 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 48 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 45 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 49 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 38 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 42 | 0 | 59 | PM2.5 |
| Decembercleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
How 2019 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2019's median of 48 is above the area's typical annual median of 44.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Durham
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Durham's AQI at 31 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Durham air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC), 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.