Metro area air quality · 2025

Gainesville, FL

Median AQI 37 (Good). 90.1% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

37
Median AQI
90.1%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
83%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 272 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Gainesville, FL metro runs good on the EPA scale, cleaner than most US metros, a median AQI of 37 with 90.1% of 272 monitored days in the Good band.

37
median AQI · Good
90.1%
days rated Good
83%
cleaner than US metros
69
worst single reading

No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Insights: Gainesville, FL metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 37 over 272 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Excellent metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 245 Good days (90%), 27 Moderate (10%), and 0 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (0%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 50 while the highest single-day reading hit 69 (Moderate). Metro residents averaged roughly 27.0 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -29 and the median AQI moved -5 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as improving. The metro avoided any Unhealthy-tier days entirely, an outcome that typically reflects favorable wind patterns, lower industrial density, or effective regional emission controls. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Athens, TN (77.5% good, AQI 37); Bemidji, MN (88.8% good, AQI 37); Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA (93.0% good, AQI 37).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

37

Good

Good Days

90.1%

245 of 272 days

Max AQI

69

Moderate

Health Grade

Excellent

90th pct: 50

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 272 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

245

90%

Moderate

27

10%

USG

0

0%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Excellent

The Gainesville, FL metro area's air quality is rated Excellent based on 90.1% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality is generally acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

How does the Gainesville, FL metro compare?

How Gainesville, FL compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Gainesville, FL 90.1%
Athens, TN 77.5%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI better than US avg
Gainesville, FL 37
Athens, TN 37
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Gainesville, FL 0
Athens, TN 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Gainesville, FL metro. Best year: 2021 (308 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 274 91 0 42
2021 308 56 0 39
2022 292 70 0 41
2023 270 94 0 40
2024 300 49 0 38
2025 245 27 0 37

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Gainesville, FL.

Athens, TN

AQI 37 · 77.5% good

37

Bemidji, MN

AQI 37 · 88.8% good

37

Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA

AQI 37 · 93.0% good

37

Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL

AQI 37 · 92.7% good

37

Grand Island, NE

AQI 37 · 80.2% good

37

Johnstown, PA

AQI 37 · 77.7% good

37

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 Gainesville, FL metro area? ▼
The Gainesville, FL metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 37, rated "Good." 90.1% of monitored days (245 out of 272) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Gainesville, FL have? ▼
In 2025, the Gainesville, FL metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 69.
Is air quality in Gainesville, FL getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Gainesville, FL metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2021 with 308 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 245 good days.
What does AQI 37 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 37 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Gainesville, FL? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Gainesville, FL metro area is 50, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 69 (Moderate).
How does Gainesville, FL compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Gainesville, FL metro has 90.1% good air days. Similar metros: Athens, TN (77.5% good), Bemidji, MN (88.8% good), Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA (93.0% 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

Every figure on PlainAir 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.