Dallas Air Quality in 2021
In 2021, Dallas's air quality (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX area) had a median daily AQI of 54 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 31 days (8.5%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 128 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 209 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 206 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was November (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was September (median 73, 9 days above 100, peak 159).
- Good: 35.1%
- Moderate: 56.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 7.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 1.1%
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How was Dallas's air quality in 2021?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 54, with 31 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 3rd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2021: 209 (Very Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 206 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst: September.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Dallas in 2021?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Dallas's (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX) median daily AQI for 2021 at 54, which is Moderate. 31 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 209.
Which month had the worst air quality in Dallas in 2021?▾
The cleanest month of 2021 was November (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was September (median 73, 9 days above 100, peak 159).
Was 2021 a good or bad year for Dallas's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2021's median of 54 is below the area's typical annual median of 58.
Dallas month by month in 2021
Dallas air quality month by month, 2021 (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 52 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 52 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 52 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 52 | 0 | 87 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 51 | 2 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 57 | 6 | 209 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 78 | 7 | 147 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 60 | 5 | 133 | PM2.5 |
| Septemberworst | 30 | 73 | 9 | 159 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 48 | 2 | 133 | O3 |
| Novembercleanest | 30 | 43 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 56 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
How 2021 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2021's median of 54 is below the area's typical annual median of 58.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Dallas
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Dallas's AQI at 42 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Dallas air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 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.