Pittsburgh vs Erie Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 24, 2026, Erie, PA has cleaner air than Pittsburgh, PA — AQI 17 (Good) vs 25 (Good), a gap of 8 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Pittsburgh's reading is driven by O3 and Erie's by PM2.5.
Pittsburgh, PA
Good
Erie, PA
Good
Summary
Erie has 8 points better air quality
Erie has an AQI of 17 compared to 25
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Pittsburgh
Today's main pollutant in Pittsburgh is ground-level ozone (AQI 25). 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 | Pittsburgh | Erie | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 35 | AQI 32 | Erie |
| Thu, Sep 24 | AQI 37 | AQI 35 | Erie |