Metro area air quality · 2025

Columbus, OH

Median AQI 54 (Moderate). 39.7% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

Compiled by PlainAirData, Independent data publisher · August 4, 2026

54
Median AQI: 39.7%
Good-air days: 1
Unhealthy days: 6%
Cleaner than US metros

Columbus, OH posted a 2025 median AQI of 54 (Moderate) with 39.7% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Columbus, OH CBSA recorded a median AQI of 54 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 39.7% rated Good and 1 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, OH CBSA's 39.7% Good-day share places it cleaner than 6% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer: Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% Good, median AQI 54) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Columbus, OH.
2020–2025 Good-day shift: Columbus, OH's Good-day share moved -22.3 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +9).
Median AQI: Median AQI: 54

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

The verdict

The Columbus, OH metro runs moderate on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 54 with 39.7% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

54
median AQI · Moderate: 39.7%
days rated Good: 6%
cleaner than US metros: 156
worst single reading

1 day reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Columbus, OH metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 118 to 156 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +38 points.
Columbus, OH metro's Good-day share fell from 41.6% to 40.5% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -1.0 percentage points.
Columbus, OH metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 0 to 1 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +1 days.

Insights: Columbus, OH metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 54 over 365 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Moderate band and a Poor metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 145 Good days (40%), 212 Moderate (58%), and 7 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (2%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 77 while the highest single-day reading hit 156 (Unhealthy). Metro residents averaged roughly 11.9 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, the share of monitored days rated Good shifted by -22.3 points and the median AQI moved +9 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as worsening. The annual record contains 1 day at Unhealthy or worse. On that day, the EPA recommends that sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% good, AQI 54); Cleveland-Elyria, OH (42.5% good, AQI 54); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (36.2% good, AQI 54).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

Moderate

Good Days

39.7%

145 of 365 days

Max AQI

156

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 77

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

145

40%

Moderate

212

58%

USG

Unhealthy

Very Unhealthy

Hazardous

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The Columbus, OH metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 39.7% good air days. There were 1 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 7 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 156. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the Columbus, OH metro compare?

How Columbus, OH compares

Compare against

Good-day share worse than typical

Columbus, OH 39.7%

Baton Rouge, LA 35.6%

Typical US metro 70.6%

Median AQI worse than typical

Columbus, OH 54

Baton Rouge, LA 54

Typical US metro 41

Unhealthy days / yr about typical

Columbus, OH 1

Baton Rouge, LA 0

Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Columbus, OH metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (62.8%, 228 of 363 monitored days).

Year	Good	Moderate	Unhealthy	Median AQI	Max AQI
2020	228	135	0	45	102
2021	170	195	0	52	100
2022	205	157	0	48	143
2023	135	217	3	54	210
2024	150	211	0	54	118
2025	145	212	1	54	156

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Columbus, OH (54).

Baton Rouge, LA

Median AQI 54 · 35.6% Good-day share

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Median AQI 54 · 42.5% Good-day share

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Median AQI 54 · 36.2% Good-day share

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Median AQI 54 · 37.5% Good-day share

Tucson, AZ

Median AQI 54 · 33.7% Good-day share

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Median AQI 53 · 41.1% Good-day share

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Columbus, OH's 1 (independent of median AQI).

Ann Arbor, MI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 41

Bangor, ME

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 33

Baraboo, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35

Bartlesville, OK

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52

Beaver Dam, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 40

More Air Quality Data

Explore EPA air quality rankings and guides across U.S. metros and counties.

Cleanest Metro Areas

U.S. metros ranked by their share of Good air-quality days.

Worst Air Quality

Counties and metros with the most unhealthy air days.

All Metro Areas

Annual AQI by CBSA for every monitored U.S. metro area.

Best and Worst City Air

What drives urban air quality and how metro areas compare.

Air Quality Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality in the Columbus, OH metro area? ▼

The Columbus, OH metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 54, rated "Moderate." 39.7% of monitored days (145 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.

How many unhealthy air days does Columbus, OH have? ▼

In 2025, the Columbus, OH metro area recorded 1 unhealthy air days (1 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 156.

Is air quality in Columbus, OH getting better or worse? ▼

Air quality in the Columbus, OH 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 62.8% (228 of 363 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2023 at 38.0% (135 of 355 days).

What does AQI 54 mean for health? ▼

An AQI of 54 is "Moderate", air quality is acceptable, but some pollutants may pose a moderate health concern for a small number of sensitive individuals.

What is the 90th percentile AQI for Columbus, OH? ▼

The 90th percentile AQI for the Columbus, OH metro area is 77, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 156 (Unhealthy).

How does Columbus, OH compare to other metro areas? ▼

The Columbus, OH metro has 39.7% good air days. Similar metros: Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% good), Cleveland-Elyria, OH (42.5% good), Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (36.2% good).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset, 2020–2025. 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 files (metro-level) · 2020–2025 Accessed 2026-07-06

Send the source-year summary or download its ready-to-use data card.

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Every figure on PlainAirData 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.