New York Air Quality in 2021
In 2021, New York's air quality (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA area) had a median daily AQI of 55 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 21 days (5.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 111 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 156 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 264 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was September (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 65, 7 days above 100, peak 156).
- Good: 30.4%
- Moderate: 63.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 4.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.8%
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 2021?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 55, with 21 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2021: 156 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 264 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: September; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in New York in 2021?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts New York's (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA) median daily AQI for 2021 at 55, which is Moderate. 21 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 156.
Which month had the worst air quality in New York in 2021?▾
The cleanest month of 2021 was September (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 65, 7 days above 100, peak 156).
Was 2021 a good or bad year for New York's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2021's median of 55 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 54.
New York month by month in 2021
New York air quality month by month, 2021 (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 | 53 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 54 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 56 | 0 | 85 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 54 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| May | 31 | 53 | 2 | 129 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 62 | 6 | 136 | O3 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 65 | 7 | 156 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 58 | 6 | 154 | PM2.5 |
| Septembercleanest | 30 | 52 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 52 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 55 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 58 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
How 2021 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2021's median of 55 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.