Columbus Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, Columbus's air quality (Columbus, OH area) had a median daily AQI of 45 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 3 days (0.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 228 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 102 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 223 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 55, 2 days above 100, peak 101).
- Good: 62.3%
- Moderate: 36.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Columbus's air quality in 2020?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 45, with 3 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 3rd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 102 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 223 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Columbus in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Columbus's (Columbus, OH) median daily AQI for 2020 at 45, which is Good. 3 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 102.
Which month had the worst air quality in Columbus in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 55, 2 days above 100, peak 101).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for Columbus's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 45 is below the area's typical annual median of 53.
Columbus month by month in 2020
Columbus air quality month by month, 2020 (Columbus, OH, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 38 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 49 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 42 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 44 | 0 | 60 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 42 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 52 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 55 | 2 | 101 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 47 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 41 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 40 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 46 | 1 | 102 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
How 2020 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2020's median of 45 is below the area's typical annual median of 53.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Columbus
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Columbus's AQI at 32 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Columbus air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Columbus, OH), 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.