Salt Lake City Air Quality in 2020

In 2020, Salt Lake City's air quality (Salt Lake City, UT area) had a median daily AQI of 55 (Moderate) across 366 monitored days. 24 days (6.6%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 135 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 214 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 185 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was March (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 93, 12 days above 100, peak 162).

55
Median AQI
Moderate
24
Days above AQI 100
6.6% of 366 days
93
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
214
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
PM2.5
Main pollutant
185 of 366 days
135
Good days
36.9% of days
  • Good: 36.9%
  • Moderate: 56.6%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 6.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%

Extra Protection for Salt Lake City Homes

Air quality in Salt Lake City is moderate (AQI 53), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.

Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH MightyTrue HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft

Check Price on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

QUICK ANSWER

How was Salt Lake City's air quality in 2020?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 55, with 24 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2020: 214 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 185 days.
  • Cleanest month: March; worst: August.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Salt Lake City in 2020?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Salt Lake City's (Salt Lake City, UT) median daily AQI for 2020 at 55, which is Moderate. 24 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 214.

Which month had the worst air quality in Salt Lake City in 2020?

The cleanest month of 2020 was March (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 93, 12 days above 100, peak 162).

Was 2020 a good or bad year for Salt Lake City's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 55 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 57.

Salt Lake City month by month in 2020

Salt Lake City air quality month by month, 2020 (Salt Lake City, UT, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3148090PM2.5
February2949072PM2.5
Marchcleanest3144070O3
April3052074PM2.5
May31540100O3
June3050097O3
July31778214O3
Augustworst319312162O3
September30662114PM2.5
October31601104PM2.5
November3056076PM2.5
December31551106PM2.5

How 2020 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2020's median of 55 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 57.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Salt Lake City

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Salt Lake City's AQI at 53 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Salt Lake City air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Salt Lake City, UT), 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.