San Diego vs Long Beach Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, Long Beach, CA has cleaner air than San Diego, CA — AQI 42 (Good) vs 58 (Moderate), a gap of 16 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. San Diego's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Long Beach's by PM2.5.
San Diego, CA
Moderate
Long Beach, CA
Good
Summary
Long Beach has 16 points better air quality
Long Beach has an AQI of 42 compared to 58
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5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | San Diego | Long Beach | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 55 | AQI 50 | Long Beach |