Metro area air quality · 2025

Lake Charles, LA

Median AQI 47 (Good). 61.5% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

47
Median AQI
61.5%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
27%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 273 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Lake Charles, LA metro runs good on the EPA scale, more polluted than the median US metro, a median AQI of 47 with 61.5% of 273 monitored days in the Good band.

47
median AQI · Good
61.5%
days rated Good
27%
cleaner than US metros
108
worst single reading

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

Insights: Lake Charles, LA metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 47 over 273 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 168 Good days (62%), 103 Moderate (38%), and 2 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 61 while the highest single-day reading hit 108 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 18.5 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -11 and the median AQI moved -2 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 Ardmore, OK (65.3% good, AQI 47); Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (62.2% good, AQI 47); Boise City, ID (64.7% good, AQI 47).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

47

Good

Good Days

61.5%

168 of 273 days

Max AQI

108

USG

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 61

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

168

62%

Moderate

103

38%

USG

2

1%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Lake Charles, LA metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 61.5% 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 Lake Charles, LA metro compare?

How Lake Charles, LA compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Lake Charles, LA 61.5%
Ardmore, OK 65.3%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Lake Charles, LA 47
Ardmore, OK 47
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Lake Charles, LA 0
Ardmore, OK 2
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Lake Charles, LA metro. Best year: 2024 (194 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 179 169 0 49
2021 171 193 1 51
2022 167 198 0 52
2023 139 221 0 54
2024 194 168 0 49
2025 168 103 0 47

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Lake Charles, LA.

Ardmore, OK

AQI 47 · 65.3% good

47

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

AQI 47 · 62.2% good

47

Boise City, ID

AQI 47 · 64.7% good

47

Cheyenne, WY

AQI 47 · 69.8% good

47

Chico, CA

AQI 47 · 66.1% good

47

Columbus, GA-AL

AQI 47 · 58.8% good

47

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 Lake Charles, LA metro area? ▼
The Lake Charles, LA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 47, rated "Good." 61.5% of monitored days (168 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Lake Charles, LA have? ▼
In 2025, the Lake Charles, LA metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 108.
Is air quality in Lake Charles, LA getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Lake Charles, LA metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 194 good days. Worst year: 2023 with 139 good days.
What does AQI 47 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 47 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 Lake Charles, LA? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Lake Charles, LA metro area is 61, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 108 (USG).
How does Lake Charles, LA compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Lake Charles, LA metro has 61.5% good air days. Similar metros: Ardmore, OK (65.3% good), Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (62.2% good), Boise City, ID (64.7% 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.