New York vs New Orleans Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 11, 2026, New Orleans, LA has cleaner air than New York, NY — AQI 29 (Good) vs 44 (Good), a gap of 15 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. New York's reading is driven by O3 and New Orleans's by PM2.5.
New York, NY
Good
New Orleans, LA
Good
Summary
New Orleans has 15 points better air quality
New Orleans has an AQI of 29 compared to 44
Reduce Indoor Ozone in New York
Today's main pollutant in New York is ground-level ozone (AQI 44). 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):
Prices are approximate and subject to change. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | New York | New Orleans | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 45 | AQI 37 | New Orleans |