Virginia · County air quality · 2025

Suffolk City County, Virginia

Median AQI 39 (Good). 96.3% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

39
Median AQI
96.3%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
92%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Suffolk City County's air is good on balance, among the cleanest 10% of US counties, a median AQI of 39 with 96.3% of 214 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

39
median AQI · Good
96.3%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
92%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 101.

Data updated July 2026

Suffolk City County AQI category distribution Stacked-segment bar showing the share of monitored days that fell in each EPA AQI category, Good, Moderate, USG, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, Hazardous, with median AQI marker. AQI category distribution 214 monitored days G Median AQI 39 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Suffolk City County
  • Good · 206 d · 96.3%
  • Moderate · 7 d · 3.3%
  • USG · 1 d · 0.5%

How did Suffolk City County's air break down in 2025?

Across 214 monitored days, 206 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 101 (USG).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 214 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).

Insights: Suffolk City County, Virginia. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 214 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 206 (96%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 7 (3%) registered Moderate readings, and 1 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 47, while the worst single-day peak hit 101 (USG). Residents averaged about 28.9 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (214 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -36 and the median AQI moved +3 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 101, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Albemarle (77.9% good, AQI 41); Arlington (84.8% good, AQI 40); Bristol City (78.3% good, AQI 33); Caroline (96.2% good, AQI 37); Carroll (100.0% good, AQI 9); Charles (88.6% good, AQI 38).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

39

Good

Good Days

96.3%

206 of 214 monitored days

21.3pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

101

USG

Health Grade

Excellent

90th-pct AQI 47

Suffolk City County, Good days share 96.3%
National avg

Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).

Suffolk City County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 0.0%
National avg

Share of monitored days above AQI 150 (Unhealthy or worse). Bar maxes at 10% (worst-county ceiling).

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 214 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

206

96%

Moderate

7

3%

USG

1

0%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Pollutant Breakdown

Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Suffolk City County.

Suffolk City County, Virginia criteria pollutant distribution Stratified-band visualization showing the share of monitored days each criteria pollutant (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, CO) was the primary AQI driver. Ozone · 100.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Suffolk City County, Virginia · 214 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 214 days · 100.0%
Ozone (O3) 214 days (100%)

How Ozone affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Excellent

Suffolk City County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 96.3% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 96.3% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 39. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 214 of 214 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is stable in Suffolk City County. Best year: 2020 (242 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 242 3 0 0 36
2021 228 17 0 0 37
2022 234 10 1 0 38
2023 230 14 1 0 40
2024 232 13 0 0 37
2025 206 7 1 0 39

How does Suffolk City County compare?

How Suffolk City County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Suffolk City County 96.3%
Albemarle County, Virginia 77.9%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Suffolk City County 39
Albemarle County, Virginia 41
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Suffolk City County 0
Albemarle County, Virginia 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Virginia

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Virginia.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Suffolk City County.

What Suffolk City County's air means for you

The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with Ozone the main thing to watch.

  • Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-Ozone days, the guide explains what a median of 39 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Suffolk City County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Suffolk City County with its Virginia neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Virginia

Based on 214 EPA-monitored days in 2025; figures reflect only days the monitors reported. Source: EPA Air Quality System annual summaries.

More Air Quality Data

Air Quality Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality in Suffolk City County, Virginia?
Suffolk City County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 96.3% of monitored days (206 out of 214) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Suffolk City County?
The primary pollutant in Suffolk City County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 214 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Suffolk City County have?
In 2025, Suffolk City County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 101.
Is the air quality in Suffolk City County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Suffolk City County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 242 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 206 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health?
Suffolk City County's median AQI of 39 falls in the "Good" category. See the <a href="/guides/understanding-aqi" class="underline">AQI category guide</a> for what each range means for health.
How does Suffolk City County compare to other counties in Virginia?
Suffolk City County has 96.3% good air days. Nearby counties in Virginia: Albemarle (77.9% good), Arlington (84.8% good), Bristol City (78.3% good), Caroline (96.2% good), Carroll (100.0% good), Charles (88.6% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Suffolk City County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Suffolk City County is 47, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 101 (USG).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by County dataset, 2020–2025 (aqs.epa.gov). For current conditions (not shown here — this page is historical annual data), see EPA AirNow (airnow.gov). See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.

Informational only, not professional advice. Data from EPA AQS. See our disclaimer.

Every figure on PlainAir is rendered directly from EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.