San Jose vs Bakersfield Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 23, 2026, San Jose, CA has cleaner air than Bakersfield, CA — AQI 63 (Moderate) vs 79 (Moderate), a gap of 16 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. San Jose's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Bakersfield's by PM10.
San Jose, CA
Moderate
Bakersfield, CA
Moderate
Summary
San Jose has 16 points better air quality
San Jose has an AQI of 63 compared to 79
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5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | San Jose | Bakersfield | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 54 | AQI 84 | San Jose |