Austin Air Quality in 2022
In 2022, Austin's air quality (Austin-Round Rock, TX area) had a median daily AQI of 51 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 7 days (1.9%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 178 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 129 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 225 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was January (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was October (median 49, 3 days above 100, peak 108).
- Good: 48.8%
- Moderate: 49.3%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Austin
Today's main pollutant in Austin is ground-level ozone (AQI 17). 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 Austin's air quality in 2022?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 51, with 7 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 5th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2022: 129 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 225 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: October.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Austin in 2022?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Austin's (Austin-Round Rock, TX) median daily AQI for 2022 at 51, which is Moderate. 7 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 129.
Which month had the worst air quality in Austin in 2022?▾
The cleanest month of 2022 was January (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was October (median 49, 3 days above 100, peak 108).
Was 2022 a good or bad year for Austin's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 51 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Austin month by month in 2022
Austin air quality month by month, 2022 (Austin-Round Rock, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 44 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 50 | 0 | 87 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 55 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| May | 31 | 56 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 58 | 2 | 115 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 52 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 46 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 60 | 2 | 129 | O3 |
| Octoberworst | 31 | 49 | 3 | 108 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 44 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 44 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
How 2022 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2022's median of 51 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 52.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Austin
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Austin's AQI at 17 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Austin air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Austin-Round Rock, TX), 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.