Rockford vs Springfield Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Springfield, IL has cleaner air than Rockford, IL — AQI 26 (Good) vs 29 (Good), a gap of 3 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Rockford's reading is driven by O3 and Springfield's by O3.
Rockford, IL
Good
Springfield, IL
Good
Summary
Springfield has 3 points better air quality
Springfield has an AQI of 26 compared to 29
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Rockford
Today's main pollutant in Rockford is ground-level ozone (AQI 29). 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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