Chicago vs Peoria 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 Peoria, IL — AQI 28 (Good) vs 30 (Good), a gap of 2 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Chicago's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Peoria's by O3.
Chicago, IL
Good
Peoria, IL
Good
Summary
Chicago has 2 points better air quality
Chicago has an AQI of 28 compared to 30
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Peoria
Today's main pollutant in Peoria is ground-level ozone (AQI 30). 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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