US Air Quality Rankings: Current AQI for Best & Worst Cities (2026)

Name: US City Air Quality Rankings 2026
Creator: US Air Quality
License: https://www.usa.gov/government-works

June 2026: #1 cleanest city is Honolulu, HI (AQI 10). Live EPA data updated hourly. Find which US cities have the healthiest air today.

Last updated June 23, 2026 · Real-time AQI from EPA AirNow monitoring stations

76 cities with Good air quality

71 cities with Moderate air quality

2 cities requiring caution

Our Pick

Protect Your Indoor Air

With an AQI of 108 driven by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), outdoor pollution is seeping indoors. A True-HEPA purifier captures up to 99.97% of the PM2.5, wildfire smoke and fine particles behind this reading. On unhealthy days like today, size up to a higher-CADR unit so it can clear the whole living area quickly.

Large Room4.6(8,000+ ratings)

Coway Airmega 400

True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~350 CFM · rooms up to 1,560 sq ft

High CADR for unhealthy-AQI days — clears smoke & PM2.5 from large areas fast

~$450

Check Price on Amazon →

Compare top-rated True-HEPA purifiers:

Best Air Quality by US Region Today

Lowest AQI city in each region right now — useful for regional comparisons and relocation research.

Northeast

New York, NYAQI 35

All Northeast cities →

Southeast

Miami, FLAQI 35

All Southeast cities →

Midwest

Peoria, ILAQI 35

All Midwest cities →

Southwest

Dallas, TXAQI 35

All Southwest cities →

Mountain

Las Vegas, NVAQI 36

All Mountain cities →

Pacific

Honolulu, HIAQI 10

All Pacific cities →

About These Rankings

Rankings are based on real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) data from EPA monitoring stations via the AirNow network. The AQI is calculated from measurements of five major pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Lower AQI values indicate cleaner air. Rankings update as new data becomes available throughout the day.

How to Read These Air Quality Rankings

Every city in this list is ranked by its Air Quality Index (AQI) — a single 0–500 number the U.S. EPA uses to report how clean or polluted the air is right now and what it means for your health. A lower AQI is better: cities near the top of the “Best Air Quality” list have the cleanest air today, while those flagged as “requiring caution” have elevated pollution that can affect sensitive groups. Because the AQI is reported on the same scale nationwide, you can compare any two cities directly — an AQI of 35 in one city means the same thing as an AQI of 35 in another.

The headline AQI for each city reflects whichever pollutant is highest at the moment — usually ground-level ozone (worst on hot, sunny afternoons) or PM2.5 fine particles (worst during wildfire smoke and winter inversions). That’s why a city’s rank can shift hour to hour and season to season. Use the color-coded scale below to translate any AQI value into a plain-English health recommendation.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Scale Explained

AQI	Category	What It Means for You
0–50	Good	Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
51–100	Moderate	Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
101–150	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
151–200	Unhealthy	Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
201–300	Very Unhealthy	Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
301–500	Hazardous	Health warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected.

A “good” AQI is 0–50. Most people only need to take precautions once the AQI rises above 100 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), while a reading above 150 means everyone should consider limiting strenuous outdoor activity. Scale and health categories follow the EPA AirNow standard.

Popular City & State Air Quality Reports

Denver, CO current air quality →Portland, OR current air quality →Portland, ME current air quality →Arizona air quality by city →Washington DC air quality →California air quality by city →

Air Purifier & Monitor Buying Guides

Not sure which device fits your needs? Our hands-on guides break down the best picks by use case.

Best Air Purifiers Buying Guide →HEPA, CADR & room-size explained Best Air Quality Monitors →Track PM2.5 & AQI in your home Air Purifiers for Wildfire Smoke & PM2.5 →True-HEPA picks for smoke events Improving Indoor Air for Allergies & Pets →Reduce allergens, dander & dust

Complete 2026 Air Quality Rankings

Rank	City	State	AQI	Category
1	Honolulu	Hawaii	AQI 10	Good
2	Portland	Oregon	AQI 31	Good
3	Dallas	Texas	AQI 35	Good
4	Miami	Florida	AQI 35	Good
5	New York	New York	AQI 35	Good
6	Peoria	Illinois	AQI 35	Good
7	Greensboro	North Carolina	AQI 35	Good
8	Durham	North Carolina	AQI 35	Good
9	Sacramento	California	AQI 36	Good
10	Tampa	Florida	AQI 36	Good
11	Fort Lauderdale	Florida	AQI 36	Good
12	St. Petersburg	Florida	AQI 36	Good
13	Buffalo	New York	AQI 36	Good
14	Raleigh	North Carolina	AQI 36	Good
15	Jersey City	New Jersey	AQI 36	Good
16	Las Vegas	Nevada	AQI 36	Good
17	Fort Worth	Texas	AQI 37	Good
18	Atlantic City	New Jersey	AQI 37	Good
19	Lexington	Kentucky	AQI 37	Good
20	Anchorage	Alaska	AQI 37	Good
21	Portland	Maine	AQI 37	Good
22	El Paso	Texas	AQI 38	Good
23	Corpus Christi	Texas	AQI 38	Good
24	Norfolk	Virginia	AQI 38	Good
25	Wilmington	Delaware	AQI 38	Good
26	San Jose	California	AQI 39	Good
27	Columbus	Ohio	AQI 39	Good
28	Tucson	Arizona	AQI 39	Good
29	Louisville	Kentucky	AQI 39	Good
30	Montgomery	Alabama	AQI 39	Good
31	Columbia	South Carolina	AQI 39	Good
32	Sioux Falls	South Dakota	AQI 39	Good
33	Vancouver	Washington	AQI 40	Good
34	Boston	Massachusetts	AQI 40	Good
35	Reno	Nevada	AQI 40	Good
36	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	AQI 40	Good
37	Tulsa	Oklahoma	AQI 40	Good
38	Wichita	Kansas	AQI 40	Good
39	Tallahassee	Florida	AQI 41	Good
40	Sarasota	Florida	AQI 41	Good
41	Seattle	Washington	AQI 41	Good
42	Des Moines	Iowa	AQI 41	Good
43	White Plains	New York	AQI 42	Good
44	Colorado Springs	Colorado	AQI 42	Good
45	Baton Rouge	Louisiana	AQI 42	Good
46	San Diego	California	AQI 44	Good
47	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	AQI 44	Good
48	Newark	New Jersey	AQI 44	Good
49	Mesa	Arizona	AQI 44	Good
50	Santa Fe	New Mexico	AQI 44	Good
51	Visalia	California	AQI 45	Good
52	Lubbock	Texas	AQI 45	Good
53	Cincinnati	Ohio	AQI 45	Good
54	Fort Wayne	Indiana	AQI 45	Good
55	Little Rock	Arkansas	AQI 45	Good
56	Stockton	California	AQI 46	Good
57	Tacoma	Washington	AQI 46	Good
58	Baltimore	Maryland	AQI 46	Good
59	New Orleans	Louisiana	AQI 46	Good
60	Charleston	South Carolina	AQI 46	Good
61	Harrisburg	Pennsylvania	AQI 47	Good
62	Knoxville	Tennessee	AQI 47	Good
63	Billings	Montana	AQI 47	Good
64	Spokane	Washington	AQI 48	Good
65	San Antonio	Texas	AQI 49	Good
66	Syracuse	New York	AQI 49	Good
67	Binghamton	New York	AQI 49	Good
68	Erie	Pennsylvania	AQI 49	Good
69	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	AQI 49	Good
70	Omaha	Nebraska	AQI 49	Good
71	Laredo	Texas	AQI 50	Good
72	Brownsville	Texas	AQI 50	Good
73	Albany	New York	AQI 50	Good
74	Rockford	Illinois	AQI 50	Good
75	Toledo	Ohio	AQI 50	Good
76	Albuquerque	New Mexico	AQI 50	Good
77	Scranton	Pennsylvania	AQI 51	Moderate
78	Ann Arbor	Michigan	AQI 51	Moderate
79	Lansing	Michigan	AQI 51	Moderate
80	Scottsdale	Arizona	AQI 51	Moderate
81	Aurora	Colorado	AQI 51	Moderate
82	Fort Collins	Colorado	AQI 51	Moderate
83	Washington	District of Columbia	AQI 51	Moderate
84	Manchester	New Hampshire	AQI 51	Moderate
85	Amarillo	Texas	AQI 52	Moderate
86	Virginia Beach	Virginia	AQI 52	Moderate
87	Oakland	California	AQI 53	Moderate
88	Houston	Texas	AQI 53	Moderate
89	McAllen	Texas	AQI 53	Moderate
90	Minneapolis	Minnesota	AQI 53	Moderate
91	St. Paul	Minnesota	AQI 53	Moderate
92	Yonkers	New York	AQI 54	Moderate
93	Charleston	West Virginia	AQI 54	Moderate
94	Fargo	North Dakota	AQI 54	Moderate
95	San Francisco	California	AQI 55	Moderate
96	Madison	Wisconsin	AQI 55	Moderate
97	Aurora	Illinois	AQI 56	Moderate
98	Charlotte	North Carolina	AQI 56	Moderate
99	Winston-Salem	North Carolina	AQI 56	Moderate
100	Grand Rapids	Michigan	AQI 56	Moderate
101	New Haven	Connecticut	AQI 56	Moderate
102	Burlington	Vermont	AQI 56	Moderate
103	Austin	Texas	AQI 57	Moderate
104	Pensacola	Florida	AQI 57	Moderate
105	Springfield	Illinois	AQI 57	Moderate
106	Orlando	Florida	AQI 58	Moderate
107	Jacksonville	Florida	AQI 58	Moderate
108	Rochester	New York	AQI 58	Moderate
109	Nashville	Tennessee	AQI 58	Moderate
110	Jackson	Mississippi	AQI 58	Moderate
111	Santa Rosa	California	AQI 59	Moderate
112	Long Beach	California	AQI 59	Moderate
113	Irvine	California	AQI 59	Moderate
114	Dayton	Ohio	AQI 59	Moderate
115	Savannah	Georgia	AQI 59	Moderate
116	Riverside	California	AQI 60	Moderate
117	Kansas City	Missouri	AQI 60	Moderate
118	Providence	Rhode Island	AQI 60	Moderate
119	Lincoln	Nebraska	AQI 60	Moderate
120	Augusta	Georgia	AQI 61	Moderate
121	Trenton	New Jersey	AQI 61	Moderate
122	St. Louis	Missouri	AQI 61	Moderate
123	Richmond	Virginia	AQI 61	Moderate
124	Boise	Idaho	AQI 61	Moderate
125	Macon	Georgia	AQI 62	Moderate
126	Denver	Colorado	AQI 62	Moderate
127	Memphis	Tennessee	AQI 62	Moderate
128	Indianapolis	Indiana	AQI 62	Moderate
129	Hartford	Connecticut	AQI 62	Moderate
130	Allentown	Pennsylvania	AQI 63	Moderate
131	Akron	Ohio	AQI 63	Moderate
132	Flint	Michigan	AQI 63	Moderate
133	Cambridge	Massachusetts	AQI 63	Moderate
134	Modesto	California	AQI 64	Moderate
135	Cheyenne	Wyoming	AQI 64	Moderate
136	West Palm Beach	Florida	AQI 65	Moderate
137	Worcester	Massachusetts	AQI 65	Moderate
138	Springfield	Massachusetts	AQI 65	Moderate
139	Birmingham	Alabama	AQI 65	Moderate
140	Cleveland	Ohio	AQI 66	Moderate
141	Chicago	Illinois	AQI 68	Moderate
142	Atlanta	Georgia	AQI 68	Moderate
143	Phoenix	Arizona	AQI 70	Moderate
144	Detroit	Michigan	AQI 72	Moderate
145	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania	AQI 77	Moderate
146	Salt Lake City	Utah	AQI 82	Moderate
147	Los Angeles	California	AQI 99	Moderate
148	Fresno	California	AQI 101	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
149	Bakersfield	California	AQI 108	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Frequently Asked Questions About Air Quality Rankings

Which US city has the best air quality?

Currently, Honolulu, HI has the best air quality in the United States with an AQI of 10 (Good). Rankings are updated in real-time based on EPA monitoring data.

Which US city has the worst air quality today?

Currently, Bakersfield, CA has the highest pollution levels with an AQI of 108 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Air quality can change significantly throughout the day and by season.

How often are these air quality rankings updated?

Our air quality rankings are updated every hour using real-time data from EPA monitoring stations via the AirNow network. This ensures you always have access to the most current air quality information for planning outdoor activities or travel.

What is considered "good" air quality?

Air quality is considered "Good" when the AQI is between 0-50. At this level, air pollution poses little or no risk, and outdoor activities are safe for everyone including sensitive groups. Currently, 76 out of 149 cities have good air quality.

How many US cities do you track for air quality?

We track real-time air quality data for 149 cities across the United States, covering all 50 states plus Washington D.C. Our data comes from EPA-certified monitoring stations that measure PM2.5, ozone, and other key pollutants.

Which states have the best air quality in the US?

States with consistently good air quality include Hawaii, Maine, Vermont, and other areas with low population density and fewer industrial sources. View our state-by-state air quality data for detailed rankings.

Is it safe to move to a city with moderate air quality?

Cities with moderate air quality (AQI 51-100) are generally safe for most people. However, sensitive groups including those with asthma, respiratory conditions, or heart disease should monitor local conditions. Check our health guides for specific recommendations.

What causes cities to have poor air quality?

Poor air quality is typically caused by vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, wildfires, weather patterns (like temperature inversions), and geographic factors. Cities in valleys or near industrial areas often experience higher pollution levels. Learn more about air pollution causes and health effects.