Atlanta vs Augusta Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Augusta, GA has cleaner air than Atlanta, GA — AQI 23 (Good) vs 31 (Good), a gap of 8 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Atlanta's reading is driven by O3 and Augusta's by O3.
Atlanta, GA
Good
Augusta, GA
Good
Summary
Augusta has 8 points better air quality
Augusta has an AQI of 23 compared to 31
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Atlanta
Today's main pollutant in Atlanta is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). 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.
Compare activated-carbon purifiers (for gases & ozone):
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5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | Atlanta | Augusta | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 45 | AQI 33 | Augusta |
| Wed, Sep 23 | AQI 39 | AQI 22 | Augusta |