Charleston, SC Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Charleston's air quality (Charleston-North Charleston, SC area) had a median daily AQI of 47 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 2 days (0.5%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 211 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 274 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 54, 1 day above 100, peak 105).
- Good: 57.8%
- Moderate: 41.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Charleston's air quality in 2023?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 47, with 2 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 274 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: October; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Charleston in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Charleston's (Charleston-North Charleston, SC) median daily AQI for 2023 at 47, which is Good. 2 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 105.
Which month had the worst air quality in Charleston in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 54, 1 day above 100, peak 105).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Charleston's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here. 2023's median of 47 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 47.
Charleston month by month in 2023
Charleston air quality month by month, 2023 (Charleston-North Charleston, SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 49 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 51 | 0 | 79 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 49 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| May | 31 | 53 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 54 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 52 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 51 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 44 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| Octobercleanest | 31 | 38 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 45 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 39 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
How 2023 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here.
2023's median of 47 is in line with 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.