Houston Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Houston's air quality (Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX area) had a median daily AQI of 65 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 57 days (15.6%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 36 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 205 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 229 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was November (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 97, 15 days above 100, peak 187).
- Good: 9.9%
- Moderate: 74.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 12.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 3.3%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Houston
Today's main pollutant in Houston is ground-level ozone (AQI 24). 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 Houston's air quality in 2023?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 65, with 57 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 205 (Very Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 229 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst: August.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Houston in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Houston's (Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX) median daily AQI for 2023 at 65, which is Moderate. 57 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 205.
Which month had the worst air quality in Houston in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was November (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 97, 15 days above 100, peak 187).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Houston's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2023's median of 65 is above the area's typical annual median of 61.
Houston month by month in 2023
Houston air quality month by month, 2023 (Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 60 | 3 | 122 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 61 | 0 | 98 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 66 | 1 | 121 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 64 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 80 | 12 | 205 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 74 | 8 | 197 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 71 | 2 | 129 | PM2.5 |
| Augustworst | 31 | 97 | 15 | 187 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 86 | 14 | 179 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 57 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| Novembercleanest | 30 | 55 | 0 | 94 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 61 | 0 | 98 | PM2.5 |
How 2023 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2023's median of 65 is above the area's typical annual median of 61.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Houston
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Houston's AQI at 24 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Houston air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, 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.