Charleston, SC Air Quality in 2019
In 2019, Charleston's air quality (Charleston-North Charleston, SC area) had a median daily AQI of 42 (Good) across 357 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 262 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 76 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 313 of those days. The cleanest month of 2019 was December (median AQI 33, 0 days above 100) and the worst was March (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak 60).
- Good: 73.4%
- Moderate: 26.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Charleston's air quality in 2019?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 42, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 357 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2019: 76 (Moderate).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 313 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst: March.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Charleston in 2019?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Charleston's (Charleston-North Charleston, SC) median daily AQI for 2019 at 42, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 76.
Which month had the worst air quality in Charleston in 2019?▾
The cleanest month of 2019 was December (median AQI 33, 0 days above 100) and the worst was March (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak 60).
Was 2019 a good or bad year for Charleston's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here. 2019's median of 42 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Charleston month by month in 2019
Charleston air quality month by month, 2019 (Charleston-North Charleston, SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 42 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 57 | PM2.5 |
| Marchworst | 31 | 48 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 43 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| May | 31 | 44 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 43 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 44 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 41 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| September | 22 | 40 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 37 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 41 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| Decembercleanest | 31 | 33 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
How 2019 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here.
2019's median of 42 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charleston
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charleston's AQI at 19 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charleston air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charleston-North Charleston, SC), 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.