San Jose vs Riverside 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 Riverside, CA — AQI 57 (Moderate) vs 172 (Unhealthy), a gap of 115 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. San Jose's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Riverside's by O3.
San Jose, CA
Moderate
Riverside, CA
Unhealthy
Summary
San Jose has 115 points better air quality
San Jose has an AQI of 57 compared to 172
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Riverside
Today's main pollutant in Riverside is ground-level ozone (AQI 172). 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 | San Jose | Riverside | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 54 | AQI 122 | San Jose |