Metro area air quality · 2025

Akron, OH

Median AQI 45 (Good). 61.6% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

45
Median AQI
61.6%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
29%
Cleaner than US metros

Akron, OH posted a 2025 median AQI of 45 (Good) with 61.6% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Akron, OH CBSA recorded a median AQI of 45 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 61.6% rated Good and 0 unhealthy or worse. This is an annual metro comparison, not a live advisory.

Data source EPA Air Quality System (AQS)

Cleaner than US metros
The Akron, OH CBSA's 61.6% Good-day share places it cleaner than 29% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Ardmore, OK (67.9% Good, median AQI 45) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Akron, OH.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Akron, OH's Good-day share moved +8.9 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI -4).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 45

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 365 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

Akron, OH lands in the lower Good-day tercile (61.6% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, more polluted than the median US metro, with a median AQI of 45 and 61.6% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

45
median AQI · Good
61.6%
days rated Good
29%
cleaner than US metros
150
worst single reading

No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Annual release change

What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release

2024 → 2025
  • Akron, OH metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 108 to 150 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +42 points.
  • Akron, OH metro's Good-day share fell from 63.7% to 62.2% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -1.6 percentage points.

Compared against 339 monitored days in 2024 and 362 in 2025. These are arithmetic differences between two stored EPA annual summaries, not a cause claim or a live advisory.

National release changes Two-year CSV

Akron, OH lands in the lower Good-day tercile (61.6% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 61.6% Good-day share (low tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 45 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 225 Good (62%), 137 Moderate (38%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 71; the highest single-day reading hit 150 (USG).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted +8.9 points and median AQI moved -4 (improving). No Unhealthy-tier days appear in this annual dataset. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Ardmore, OK (67.9% good, AQI 45); Asheville, NC (69.9% good, AQI 45); Cheyenne, WY (75.1% good, AQI 45).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

45

Good

Good Days

61.6%

225 of 365 days

Max AQI

150

USG

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 71

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

225

62%

Moderate

137

38%

USG

3

1%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Akron, OH metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 61.6% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality is generally acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

How does the Akron, OH metro compare?

How Akron, OH compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Akron, OH 61.6%
Ardmore, OK 67.9%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Akron, OH 45
Ardmore, OK 45
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than typical
Akron, OH 0
Ardmore, OK 2
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Akron, OH metro. Highest Good-day share: 2022 (64.1%, 230 of 359 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 190 167 0 49
2021 221 132 0 45
2022 230 128 1 44
2023 208 131 2 47
2024 216 123 0 45
2025 225 137 0 45

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Akron, OH (45).

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Akron, OH's 0 (independent of median AQI).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Akron, OH have?
In 2025, the Akron, OH metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 150.
What is the air quality in the Akron, OH metro area?
The Akron, OH metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 45, rated "Good." 61.6% of monitored days (225 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Akron, OH getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Akron, OH metro is improving across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2022 at 64.1% (230 of 359 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2020 at 53.2% (190 of 357 days).
What does AQI 45 mean for health?
An AQI of 45 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
How does Akron, OH compare to other metro areas?
The Akron, OH metro has 61.6% good air days. Similar metros: Ardmore, OK (67.9% good), Asheville, NC (69.9% good), Cheyenne, WY (75.1% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Akron, OH?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Akron, OH metro area is 71, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 150 (USG).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Akron, OH, 2025. See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.

Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by CBSA summary, Akron, OH · 2020–2025