Durham Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, Durham's air quality (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area) had a median daily AQI of 41 (Good) across 364 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 276 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 97 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 247 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 27, 0 days above 100) and the worst was November (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak 72).
- Good: 75.8%
- Moderate: 24.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Durham's air quality in 2020?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 364 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 97 (Moderate).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 247 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: November.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Durham in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Durham's (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC) median daily AQI for 2020 at 41, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 97.
Which month had the worst air quality in Durham in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 27, 0 days above 100) and the worst was November (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak 72).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for Durham's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here. 2020's median of 41 is below the area's typical annual median of 44.
Durham month by month in 2020
Durham air quality month by month, 2020 (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 27 | 0 | 50 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 29 | 0 | 92 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 41 | 0 | 79 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 48 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| May | 31 | 37 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 45 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 44 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| August | 30 | 39 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 34 | 0 | 63 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 36 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| Novemberworst | 30 | 48 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| December | 30 | 46 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
How 2020 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here.
2020's median of 41 is below 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.