Durham vs Winston-Salem Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Durham, NC has cleaner air than Winston-Salem, NC — AQI 19 (Good) vs 23 (Good), a gap of 4 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Durham's reading is driven by O3 and Winston-Salem's by O3.
Durham, NC
Good
Winston-Salem, NC
Good
Summary
Durham has 4 points better air quality
Durham has an AQI of 19 compared to 23
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Winston-Salem
Today's main pollutant in Winston-Salem is ground-level ozone (AQI 23). 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 | Durham | Winston-Salem | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 28 | AQI 22 | Winston-Salem |
| Wed, Sep 23 | AQI 25 | AQI 24 | Winston-Salem |
| Thu, Sep 24 | AQI 38 | AQI 40 | Durham |
| Fri, Sep 25 | AQI 38 | AQI 42 | Durham |