Metro area air quality · 2025

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

Median AQI 43 (Good). 68.2% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

43
Median AQI
68.2%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
41%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 270 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro runs good on the EPA scale, more polluted than the median US metro, a median AQI of 43 with 68.2% of 270 monitored days in the Good band.

43
median AQI · Good
68.2%
days rated Good
41%
cleaner than US metros
105
worst single reading

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

Insights: Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 43 over 270 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 184 Good days (68%), 85 Moderate (31%), and 1 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (0%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 64 while the highest single-day reading hit 105 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 20.4 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by +5 and the median AQI moved -8 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (65.6% good, AQI 43); Amarillo, TX (75.7% good, AQI 43); Ashtabula, OH (81.2% good, AQI 43).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

43

Good

Good Days

68.2%

184 of 270 days

Max AQI

105

USG

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 64

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 270 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

184

68%

Moderate

85

31%

USG

1

0%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 68.2% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro compare?

How Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 68.2%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 65.6%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 43
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 43
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 0
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro. Best year: 2022 (266 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 179 187 0 51
2021 214 150 0 46
2022 266 99 0 41
2023 236 118 1 45
2024 241 125 0 44
2025 184 85 0 43

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN.

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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area?
The Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 68.2% of monitored days (184 out of 270) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN have?
In 2025, the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 105.
Is air quality in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 266 good days. Worst year: 2020 with 179 good days.
What does AQI 43 mean for health?
An AQI of 43 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area is 64, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 105 (USG).
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN compare to other metro areas?
The Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro has 68.2% good air days. Similar metros: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (65.6% good), Amarillo, TX (75.7% good), Ashtabula, OH (81.2% 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.

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.