Chicago vs Fresno Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Chicago, IL has cleaner air than Fresno, CA — AQI 31 (Good) vs 93 (Moderate), a gap of 62 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Chicago's reading is driven by O3 and Fresno's by O3.
Chicago, IL
Good
Fresno, CA
Moderate
Summary
Chicago has 62 points better air quality
Chicago has an AQI of 31 compared to 93
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Fresno
Today's main pollutant in Fresno is ground-level ozone (AQI 93). 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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