New York Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, New York's air quality (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA area) had a median daily AQI of 54 (Moderate) across 366 monitored days. 11 days (3.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 131 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 140 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 240 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was April (median AQI 45, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 80, 6 days above 100, peak 140).
- Good: 35.8%
- Moderate: 61.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 3.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in New York
Today's main pollutant in New York is ground-level ozone (AQI 44). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
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How was New York's air quality in 2020?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 54, with 11 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 140 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 240 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: April; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in New York in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts New York's (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA) median daily AQI for 2020 at 54, which is Moderate. 11 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 140.
Which month had the worst air quality in New York in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was April (median AQI 45, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 80, 6 days above 100, peak 140).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for New York'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 54 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 54.
New York month by month in 2020
New York air quality month by month, 2020 (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 55 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 57 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 47 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| Aprilcleanest | 30 | 45 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 46 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 60 | 2 | 112 | O3 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 80 | 6 | 140 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 64 | 2 | 119 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 55 | 0 | 99 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 55 | 1 | 127 | 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 54 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 54.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in New York
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts New York's AQI at 44 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current New York air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA), 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.