Phoenix vs Tucson Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Tucson, AZ has cleaner air than Phoenix, AZ — AQI 38 (Good) vs 47 (Good), a gap of 9 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Phoenix's reading is driven by O3 and Tucson's by O3.
Phoenix, AZ
Good
Tucson, AZ
Good
Summary
Tucson has 9 points better air quality
Tucson has an AQI of 38 compared to 47
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Phoenix
Today's main pollutant in Phoenix is ground-level ozone (AQI 47). 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 | Phoenix | Tucson | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 52 | AQI 35 | Tucson |
| Wed, Sep 23 | AQI 57 | AQI 38 | Tucson |
| Thu, Sep 24 | AQI 54 | AQI 40 | Tucson |
| Fri, Sep 25 | AQI 61 | AQI 43 | Tucson |
| Sat, Sep 26 | AQI 49 | AQI 42 | Tucson |