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.

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

Columbus, OH lands in the lower Good-day tercile (39.7% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs moderate, among the more polluted US metros, with a median AQI of 54 and 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.

Annual release change

What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release

2024 → 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.

Compared against 361 monitored days in 2024 and 358 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, OH lands in the lower Good-day tercile (39.7% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 39.7% 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 54 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Moderate / Poor). The monitored-day split lands at 145 Good (40%), 212 Moderate (58%), and 7 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (2%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 77; the highest single-day reading hit 156 (Unhealthy).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -22.3 points and median AQI moved +9 (worsening). The annual record contains 1 day at Unhealthy or worse. 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).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

54

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

7

2%

Unhealthy

1

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

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

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
2020 228 135 0 45
2021 170 195 0 52
2022 205 157 0 48
2023 135 217 3 54
2024 150 211 0 54
2025 145 212 1 54

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

54

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Median AQI 54 · 42.5% Good-day share

54

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Median AQI 54 · 36.2% Good-day share

54

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Median AQI 54 · 37.5% Good-day share

54

Tucson, AZ

Median AQI 54 · 33.7% Good-day share

54

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Median AQI 53 · 41.1% Good-day share

53

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

41

Bangor, ME

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 33

33

Baraboo, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35

35

Bartlesville, OK

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52

52

Beaver Dam, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 40

40

Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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.
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.
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).
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).

Data Sources

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