Durham Air Quality in 2022
In 2022, Durham's air quality (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area) had a median daily AQI of 42 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 271 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 93 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 194 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was November (median AQI 34, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak 93).
- Good: 74.2%
- Moderate: 25.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Improve Indoor Air Quality
Even with good outdoor air in Durham, indoor PM2.5, dust and allergens build up. A True-HEPA purifier keeps a bedroom or office consistently clean.
Recommended: Levoit Core 400S — True HEPA · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How was Durham's air quality in 2022?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 42, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 2nd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2022: 93 (Moderate).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 194 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Durham in 2022?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Durham's (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC) median daily AQI for 2022 at 42, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 93.
Which month had the worst air quality in Durham in 2022?▾
The cleanest month of 2022 was November (median AQI 34, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak 93).
Was 2022 a good or bad year for Durham's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 44.
Durham month by month in 2022
Durham air quality month by month, 2022 (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 37 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 39 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 44 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 47 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 47 | 0 | 77 | O3 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 50 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 42 | 0 | 53 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 38 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 40 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 38 | 0 | 60 | O3 |
| Novembercleanest | 30 | 34 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 39 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
How 2022 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2022's median of 42 is in line with 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.