Metro area air quality · 2025
Brainerd, MN
Median AQI 39 (Good). 74.3% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 39
- Median AQI
- 74.3%
- Good-air days
- 8
- Unhealthy days
- 54%
- Cleaner than US metros
Brainerd, MN posted a 2025 median AQI of 39 (Good) with 74.3% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Brainerd, MN CBSA recorded a median AQI of 39 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 74.3% rated Good and 8 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 Brainerd, MN CBSA's 74.3% Good-day share places it cleaner than 54% of US metros in 2025.
- Closest median-AQI peer
- Bay City, MI (70.4% Good, median AQI 39) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Brainerd, MN.
- 2020–2025 Good-day shift
- Brainerd, MN's Good-day share moved -13.2 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +6).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 39
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 365 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
Brainerd, MN's peak reading 177 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, cleaner than the median US metro, with a median AQI of 39 and 74.3% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.
- 39
- median AQI · Good
- 74.3%
- days rated Good
- 54%
- cleaner than US metros
- 177
- worst single reading
8 days reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Annual release change
What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release
- Brainerd, MN metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 1 to 8 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +7 days.
- Brainerd, MN metro's Good-day share fell from 79.5% to 75.9% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -3.6 percentage points.
- Brainerd, MN metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 164 to 177 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +13 points.
Brainerd, MN's peak reading 177 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. Signature read: peak AQI 177 (high tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 39 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 271 Good (74%), 78 Moderate (21%), and 8 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (2%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 66; the highest single-day reading hit 177 (Unhealthy).
Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -13.2 points and median AQI moved +6 (worsening). The annual record contains 8 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Bay City, MI (70.4% good, AQI 39); Cambridge, MD (86.0% good, AQI 39); Charleston, WV (77.0% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
39
Good
Good Days
74.3%
271 of 365 days
Max AQI
177
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 66
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
271
74%
Moderate
78
21%
USG
8
2%
Unhealthy
8
2%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Brainerd, MN metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 74.3% good air days. There were 8 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 8 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 177. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
How does the Brainerd, MN metro compare?
How Brainerd, MN compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in the Brainerd, MN metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (89.1%, 326 of 366 monitored days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 326 | 40 | 0 | 33 | 79 |
| 2021 | 110 | 243 | 3 | 54 | 275 |
| 2022 | 306 | 59 | 0 | 39 | 67 |
| 2023 | 234 | 121 | 1 | 43 | 165 |
| 2024 | 291 | 74 | 1 | 38 | 164 |
| 2025 | 271 | 78 | 8 | 39 | 177 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Brainerd, MN (39).
Bay City, MI
Median AQI 39 · 70.4% Good-day share
Cambridge, MD
Median AQI 39 · 86.0% Good-day share
Charleston, WV
Median AQI 39 · 77.0% Good-day share
Dalton, GA
Median AQI 39 · 90.3% Good-day share
Harrisonburg, VA
Median AQI 39 · 80.0% Good-day share
Indiana, PA
Median AQI 39 · 74.8% Good-day share
Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure
A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Brainerd, MN's 8 (independent of median AQI).
Bemidji, MN
9 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 36
Deming, NM
9 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 17
Fargo, ND-MN
7 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 37
Green Bay, WI
7 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 38
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
7 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 67
Wenatchee, WA
9 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Brainerd, MN? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Brainerd, MN have? ▼
What is the air quality in the Brainerd, MN metro area? ▼
Is air quality in Brainerd, MN getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 39 mean for health? ▼
How does Brainerd, MN compare to other metro areas? ▼
Data Sources
Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Brainerd, MN, 2025. See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.
Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by CBSA summary, Brainerd, MN · 2020–2025