Sioux Falls Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Sioux Falls's air quality (Sioux Falls, SD area) had a median daily AQI of 44 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 27 days (7.4%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 235 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 181 (Unhealthy). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 254 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was December (median AQI 22, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 99, 14 days above 100, peak 154).
- Good: 64.4%
- Moderate: 28.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 6.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 1.1%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Sioux Falls
Today's main pollutant in Sioux Falls is ground-level ozone (AQI 33). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How was Sioux Falls's air quality in 2023?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44, with 27 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 181 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 254 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Sioux Falls in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Sioux Falls's (Sioux Falls, SD) median daily AQI for 2023 at 44, which is Good. 27 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 181.
Which month had the worst air quality in Sioux Falls in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was December (median AQI 22, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 99, 14 days above 100, peak 154).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Sioux Falls'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 44 is above the area's typical annual median of 38.
Sioux Falls month by month in 2023
Sioux Falls air quality month by month, 2023 (Sioux Falls, SD, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 36 | 0 | 94 | O3 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| March | 31 | 48 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 46 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 67 | 9 | 181 | O3 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 99 | 14 | 154 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 45 | 2 | 157 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 49 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 51 | 1 | 142 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 30 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 30 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| Decembercleanest | 31 | 22 | 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 44 is above the area's typical annual median of 38.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Sioux Falls
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Sioux Falls's AQI at 33 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Sioux Falls air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Sioux Falls, SD), 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.