Richmond Air Quality in 2022

In 2022, Richmond's air quality (Richmond, VA area) had a median daily AQI of 47 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 210 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 222 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 53, 1 day above 100, peak 112).

47
Median AQI
Good
1
Days above AQI 100
0.3% of 365 days
59
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
112
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
PM2.5
Main pollutant
222 of 365 days
210
Good days
57.5% of days
  • Good: 57.5%
  • Moderate: 42.2%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Richmond's air quality in 2022?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 47, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 5th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2022: 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 222 days.
  • Cleanest month: September; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Richmond in 2022?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Richmond's (Richmond, VA) median daily AQI for 2022 at 47, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 112.

Which month had the worst air quality in Richmond in 2022?

The cleanest month of 2022 was September (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 53, 1 day above 100, peak 112).

Was 2022 a good or bad year for Richmond'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 47 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 47.

Richmond month by month in 2022

Richmond air quality month by month, 2022 (Richmond, VA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3151067PM2.5
February2847064PM2.5
March3151065PM2.5
April3046062O3
May3146067PM2.5
Juneworst30531112O3
July3148080O3
August3144058PM2.5
Septembercleanest3042077O3
October3145061PM2.5
November3049066PM2.5
December3149067PM2.5

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 47 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 47.

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

Right now in Richmond

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Richmond's AQI at 52 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Richmond air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Richmond, VA), 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.