Metro area air quality · 2025

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Median AQI 54 (Moderate). 36.2% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

54
Median AQI
36.2%
Good-air days
3
Unhealthy days
5%
Cleaner than US metros

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI posted a 2025 median AQI of 54 (Moderate) with 36.2% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI CBSA recorded a median AQI of 54 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 36.2% rated Good and 3 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI CBSA's 36.2% Good-day share places it cleaner than 5% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI's Good-day share moved +4.0 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI -1).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 54

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

The verdict

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI lands in the lower Good-day tercile (36.2% 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 36.2% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

54
median AQI · Moderate
36.2%
days rated Good
5%
cleaner than US metros
166
worst single reading

3 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
  • Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro's Good-day share rose from 33.1% to 37.5% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +4.4 percentage points.
  • Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 1 to 3 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +2 days.
  • Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro's peak single-day AQI fell from 181 to 166 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -15 points.

Compared against 356 monitored days in 2024 and 352 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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI lands in the lower Good-day tercile (36.2% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 36.2% 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 132 Good (36%), 217 Moderate (59%), and 13 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (4%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 80; the highest single-day reading hit 166 (Unhealthy).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted +4.0 points and median AQI moved -1 (improving). The annual record contains 3 days 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); Columbus, OH (39.7% good, AQI 54).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

54

Moderate

Good Days

36.2%

132 of 365 days

Max AQI

166

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 80

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

132

36%

Moderate

217

59%

USG

13

4%

Unhealthy

3

1%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 36.2% good air days. There were 3 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 13 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 166. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro compare?

How Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 36.2%
Baton Rouge, LA 35.6%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 54
Baton Rouge, LA 54
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 3
Baton Rouge, LA 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro. Highest Good-day share: 2025 (37.5%, 132 of 352 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 117 230 2 55
2021 85 271 0 59
2022 63 286 0 58
2023 68 270 3 61
2024 118 237 1 55
2025 132 217 3 54

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (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

Columbus, OH

Median AQI 54 · 39.7% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI's 3 (independent of median AQI).

Albuquerque, NM

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 61

61

Fresno, CA

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 61

61

Kansas City, MO-KS

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 51

51

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 45

45

Rochester, MN

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 39

39

St. Cloud, MN

3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 37

37

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI have? ▼
In 2025, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area recorded 3 unhealthy air days (3 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 166.
What is the air quality in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area? ▼
The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 54, rated "Moderate." 36.2% of monitored days (132 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 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: 2025 at 37.5% (132 of 352 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2022 at 18.1% (63 of 349 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro has 36.2% good air days. Similar metros: Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% good), Cleveland-Elyria, OH (42.5% good), Columbus, OH (39.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is 80, 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 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, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · 2020–2025