Columbus Air Quality in 2022

In 2022, Columbus's air quality (Columbus, OH area) had a median daily AQI of 48 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 3 days (0.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 205 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 143 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 246 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 57, 3 days above 100, peak 143).

48
Median AQI
Good
3
Days above AQI 100
0.8% of 365 days
67
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
143
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
PM2.5
Main pollutant
246 of 365 days
205
Good days
56.2% of days
  • Good: 56.2%
  • Moderate: 43.0%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.8%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Columbus's air quality in 2022?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 48, with 3 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2022: 143 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 246 days.
  • Cleanest month: September; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Columbus in 2022?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Columbus's (Columbus, OH) median daily AQI for 2022 at 48, which is Good. 3 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 143.

Which month had the worst air quality in Columbus in 2022?

The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 57, 3 days above 100, peak 143).

Was 2022 a good or bad year for Columbus's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 48 is below the area's typical annual median of 53.

Columbus month by month in 2022

Columbus air quality month by month, 2022 (Columbus, OH, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3156093PM2.5
February2853074PM2.5
March3145067O3
April3044056O3
May3148067PM2.5
Juneworst30573143O3
July3150074PM2.5
August3143074O3
Septembercleanest3039065PM2.5
October3141067PM2.5
November3054082PM2.5
December3152078PM2.5

How 2022 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2022's median of 48 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.