Columbia Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, Columbia's air quality (Columbia, SC area) had a median daily AQI of 44 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 248 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 117 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 266 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 45, 1 day above 100, peak 117).
- Good: 67.8%
- Moderate: 32.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was Columbia's air quality in 2020?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 117 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 266 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Columbia in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Columbia's (Columbia, SC) median daily AQI for 2020 at 44, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 117.
Which month had the worst air quality in Columbia in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 45, 1 day above 100, peak 117).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for Columbia's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 44 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Columbia month by month in 2020
Columbia air quality month by month, 2020 (Columbia, SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 32 | 0 | 54 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 39 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 52 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 46 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 45 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 45 | 1 | 117 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 46 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 48 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 39 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 41 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 39 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 51 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
How 2020 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2020's median of 44 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Columbia
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Columbia's AQI at 31 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Columbia air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Columbia, 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.