Metro area air quality · 2025

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

Median AQI 44 (Good). 60.4% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

44
Median AQI
60.4%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
24%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 212 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro runs good on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 44 with 60.4% of 212 monitored days in the Good band.

44
median AQI · Good
60.4%
days rated Good
24%
cleaner than US metros
93
worst single reading

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

Insights: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 44 over 212 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 128 Good days (60%), 84 Moderate (40%), and 0 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (0%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 64 while the highest single-day reading hit 93 (Moderate). Metro residents averaged roughly 18.1 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -82 and the median AQI moved -4 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as stable. 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-Clarke County, GA (66.7% good, AQI 44); Bartlesville, OK (65.6% good, AQI 44); Bloomington, IL (64.1% good, AQI 44).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

44

Good

Good Days

60.4%

128 of 212 days

Max AQI

93

Moderate

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 64

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 212 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

128

60%

Moderate

84

40%

USG

0

0%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 60.4% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro compare?

How Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 60.4%
Athens-Clarke County, GA 66.7%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 44
Athens-Clarke County, GA 44
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 0
Athens-Clarke County, GA 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is stable in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro. Best year: 2020 (210 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 210 153 0 48
2021 157 206 0 52
2022 185 177 0 50
2023 164 189 3 52
2024 201 163 0 48
2025 128 84 0 44

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.

More Air Quality Data

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

Air Quality Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area?
The Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 44, rated "Good." 60.4% of monitored days (128 out of 212) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA have?
In 2025, the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 93.
Is air quality in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 210 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 128 good days.
What does AQI 44 mean for health?
An AQI of 44 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area is 64, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 93 (Moderate).
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA compare to other metro areas?
The Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro has 60.4% good air days. Similar metros: Athens-Clarke County, GA (66.7% good), Bartlesville, OK (65.6% good), Bloomington, IL (64.1% 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.

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.