El Paso Air Quality in 2021
In 2021, El Paso's air quality (El Paso, TX area) had a median daily AQI of 59 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 19 days (5.2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 91 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 207 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was February (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 67, 8 days above 100, peak 150).
- Good: 24.9%
- Moderate: 69.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 5.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in El Paso
Today's main pollutant in El Paso 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.
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How was El Paso's air quality in 2021?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 59, with 19 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 3rd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2021: 150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 207 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: February; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in El Paso in 2021?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts El Paso's (El Paso, TX) median daily AQI for 2021 at 59, which is Moderate. 19 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 150.
Which month had the worst air quality in El Paso in 2021?▾
The cleanest month of 2021 was February (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 67, 8 days above 100, peak 150).
Was 2021 a good or bad year for El Paso'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 59 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 59.
El Paso month by month in 2021
El Paso air quality month by month, 2021 (El Paso, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 56 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| Februarycleanest | 28 | 52 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 55 | 1 | 149 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 61 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 67 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 67 | 3 | 135 | PM2.5 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 67 | 8 | 150 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 58 | 2 | 108 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 61 | 3 | 104 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 56 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 59 | 0 | 94 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 59 | 1 | 112 | 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 59 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 59.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in El Paso
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts El Paso's AQI at 39 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current El Paso air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (El Paso, 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.