Rochester Air Quality in 2025
In 2025, Rochester's air quality (Rochester, NY area) had a median daily AQI of 39 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 7 days (1.9%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 271 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 135 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 224 of those days. The cleanest month of 2025 was October (median AQI 29, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 46, 5 days above 100, peak 133).
- Good: 74.2%
- Moderate: 23.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reducing Indoor Ozone
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, "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit also helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH (HEPA + Carbon) — True HEPA + activated carbon layer · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How was Rochester's air quality in 2025?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 39, with 7 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2025: 135 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 224 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: October; worst: August.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Rochester in 2025?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Rochester's (Rochester, NY) median daily AQI for 2025 at 39, which is Good. 7 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 135.
Which month had the worst air quality in Rochester in 2025?▾
The cleanest month of 2025 was October (median AQI 29, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 46, 5 days above 100, peak 133).
Was 2025 a good or bad year for Rochester's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2025 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2025's median of 39 is below the area's typical annual median of 42.
Rochester month by month in 2025
Rochester air quality month by month, 2025 (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 39 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 41 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 41 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 42 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 36 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 47 | 2 | 135 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 48 | 0 | 100 | PM2.5 |
| Augustworst | 31 | 46 | 5 | 133 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 40 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| Octobercleanest | 31 | 29 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 30 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| December | 31 | 34 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
How 2025 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2025 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2025's median of 39 is below the area's typical annual median of 42.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Rochester, 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.