Buffalo Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Buffalo's air quality (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY area) had a median daily AQI of 48 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 8 days (2.2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 198 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 176 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 272 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 73, 7 days above 100, peak 176).
- Good: 54.2%
- Moderate: 43.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.8%
Improve Indoor Air Quality
Even with good outdoor air in Buffalo, 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 Buffalo's air quality in 2023?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48, with 8 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 176 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 272 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: October; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Buffalo in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Buffalo's (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY) median daily AQI for 2023 at 48, which is Good. 8 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 176.
Which month had the worst air quality in Buffalo in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 73, 7 days above 100, peak 176).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Buffalo's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2023's median of 48 is above the area's typical annual median of 44.
Buffalo month by month in 2023
Buffalo air quality month by month, 2023 (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 47 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 53 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 47 | 0 | 83 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 46 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 48 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 73 | 7 | 176 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 55 | 1 | 129 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 44 | 0 | 85 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 50 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| Octobercleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 44 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 52 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
How 2023 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2023's median of 48 is above the area's typical annual median of 44.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Buffalo
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Buffalo's AQI at 24 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Buffalo air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY), 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.