Metro area air quality · 2025

Columbus, GA-AL

Median AQI 48 (Good). 53.4% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

48
Median AQI
53.4%
Good-air days
2
Unhealthy days
16%
Cleaner than US metros

Columbus, GA-AL posted a 2025 median AQI of 48 (Good) with 53.4% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Columbus, GA-AL CBSA recorded a median AQI of 48 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 53.4% rated Good and 2 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 Columbus, GA-AL CBSA's 53.4% Good-day share places it cleaner than 16% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (58.1% Good, median AQI 48) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Columbus, GA-AL.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Columbus, GA-AL's Good-day share moved -8.1 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +2).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 48

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

The verdict

Columbus, GA-AL lands in the lower Good-day tercile (53.4% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, among the more polluted US metros, with a median AQI of 48 and 53.4% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

48
median AQI · Good
53.4%
days rated Good
16%
cleaner than US metros
166
worst single reading

2 days reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Annual release change

What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release

2024 → 2025
  • Columbus, GA-AL metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 127 to 166 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +39 points.
  • Columbus, GA-AL metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 0 to 2 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +2 days.

Compared against 359 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

Columbus, GA-AL lands in the lower Good-day tercile (53.4% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 53.4% 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 48 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 195 Good (53%), 165 Moderate (45%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 65; the highest single-day reading hit 166 (Unhealthy).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -8.1 points and median AQI moved +2 (worsening). The annual record contains 2 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (58.1% good, AQI 48); Boulder, CO (58.4% good, AQI 48); Durango, CO (60.8% good, AQI 48).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

48

Good

Good Days

53.4%

195 of 365 days

Max AQI

166

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 65

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

195

53%

Moderate

165

45%

USG

3

1%

Unhealthy

2

1%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Columbus, GA-AL metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 53.4% good air days. There were 2 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 3 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 166. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the Columbus, GA-AL metro compare?

How Columbus, GA-AL compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Columbus, GA-AL 53.4%
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 58.1%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Columbus, GA-AL 48
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 48
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
Columbus, GA-AL 2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Columbus, GA-AL metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (61.9%, 226 of 365 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 226 139 0 46
2021 205 156 1 48
2022 187 176 0 50
2023 150 212 1 52
2024 192 167 0 49
2025 195 165 2 48

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Columbus, GA-AL (48).

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Median AQI 48 · 58.1% Good-day share

48

Boulder, CO

Median AQI 48 · 58.4% Good-day share

48

Durango, CO

Median AQI 48 · 60.8% Good-day share

48

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC

Median AQI 48 · 55.3% Good-day share

48

Knoxville, TN

Median AQI 48 · 56.4% Good-day share

48

Lake City, FL

Median AQI 48 · 57.3% Good-day share

48

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Columbus, GA-AL's 2 (independent of median AQI).

Ardmore, OK

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 45

45

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Chattanooga, TN-GA

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 49

49

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 56

56

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 46

46

Fort Dodge, IA

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 45

45

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Columbus, GA-AL have? ▼
In 2025, the Columbus, GA-AL metro area recorded 2 unhealthy air days (2 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 166.
What is the air quality in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area? ▼
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 48, rated "Good." 53.4% of monitored days (195 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Columbus, GA-AL getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Columbus, GA-AL metro is worsening across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2020 at 61.9% (226 of 365 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2023 at 41.3% (150 of 363 days).
What does AQI 48 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 48 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 Columbus, GA-AL compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Columbus, GA-AL metro has 53.4% good air days. Similar metros: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (58.1% good), Boulder, CO (58.4% good), Durango, CO (60.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Columbus, GA-AL? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Columbus, GA-AL metro area is 65, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 166 (Unhealthy).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Columbus, GA-AL, 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, Columbus, GA-AL · 2020–2025