Buffalo vs Albany Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Albany, NY has cleaner air than Buffalo, NY — AQI 23 (Good) vs 26 (Good), a gap of 3 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Buffalo's reading is driven by O3 and Albany's by O3.
Buffalo, NY
Good
Albany, NY
Good
Summary
Albany has 3 points better air quality
Albany has an AQI of 23 compared to 26
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Buffalo
Today's main pollutant in Buffalo is ground-level ozone (AQI 26). 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 | Buffalo | Albany | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 30 | AQI 23 | Albany |
| Wed, Sep 23 | AQI 32 | AQI 26 | Albany |