Nashville Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Nashville's air quality (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area) had a median daily AQI of 54 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 10 days (2.7%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 128 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 133 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 268 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 47, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 68, 6 days above 100, peak 133).
- Good: 35.1%
- Moderate: 62.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.7%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Nashville
Today's main pollutant in Nashville is ground-level ozone (AQI 39). 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 Nashville's air quality in 2023?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 54, with 10 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 133 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 268 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: October; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Nashville in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Nashville's (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN) median daily AQI for 2023 at 54, which is Moderate. 10 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 133.
Which month had the worst air quality in Nashville in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was October (median AQI 47, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 68, 6 days above 100, peak 133).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Nashville'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 54 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Nashville month by month in 2023
Nashville air quality month by month, 2023 (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 52 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 54 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 54 | 0 | 79 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 53 | 1 | 101 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 54 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 68 | 6 | 133 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 55 | 2 | 126 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 53 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 54 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| Octobercleanest | 31 | 47 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 54 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 47 | 0 | 66 | 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 54 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Nashville
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Nashville's AQI at 39 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Nashville air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN), 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.