Vancouver Air Quality in 2021
In 2021, Vancouver's air quality (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area) had a median daily AQI of 42 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 254 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 161 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 193 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was June (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 42, 1 day above 100, peak 161).
- Good: 69.6%
- Moderate: 30.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.3%
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How was Vancouver's air quality in 2021?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 42, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2021: 161 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 193 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: June; worst: August.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Vancouver in 2021?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Vancouver's (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA) median daily AQI for 2021 at 42, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 161.
Which month had the worst air quality in Vancouver in 2021?▾
The cleanest month of 2021 was June (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 42, 1 day above 100, peak 161).
Was 2021 a good or bad year for Vancouver's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here. 2021's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 41.
Vancouver month by month in 2021
Vancouver air quality month by month, 2021 (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 53 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 49 | 0 | 94 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 43 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 39 | 0 | 51 | O3 |
| Junecleanest | 30 | 38 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 38 | 0 | 87 | O3 |
| Augustworst | 31 | 42 | 1 | 161 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 39 | 0 | 73 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 46 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 42 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 42 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
How 2021 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here.
2021's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 41.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Vancouver
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Vancouver's AQI at 41 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Vancouver air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA), 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.