Raleigh Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, Raleigh's air quality (Raleigh, NC area) had a median daily AQI of 46 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 220 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 271 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 58, 1 day above 100, peak 101).
- Good: 60.3%
- Moderate: 39.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Raleigh's air quality in 2020?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 271 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Raleigh in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Raleigh's (Raleigh, NC) median daily AQI for 2020 at 46, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 101.
Which month had the worst air quality in Raleigh in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 58, 1 day above 100, peak 101).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for Raleigh's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 46 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 48.
Raleigh month by month in 2020
Raleigh air quality month by month, 2020 (Raleigh, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 46 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 47 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 44 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 49 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 58 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 54 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| August | 30 | 45 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 41 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 46 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 54 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 51 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
How 2020 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2020's median of 46 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 48.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Raleigh
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Raleigh's AQI at 41 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Raleigh air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Raleigh, 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.