Metro area air quality · 2025

Las Cruces, NM

Median AQI 61 (Moderate). 27.4% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

61
Median AQI
27.4%
Good-air days
21
Unhealthy days
2%
Cleaner than US metros

Las Cruces, NM posted a 2025 median AQI of 61 (Moderate) with 27.4% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Las Cruces, NM CBSA recorded a median AQI of 61 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 27.4% rated Good and 21 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 Las Cruces, NM CBSA's 27.4% Good-day share places it cleaner than 2% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Albuquerque, NM (24.9% Good, median AQI 61) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Las Cruces, NM.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Las Cruces, NM's Good-day share moved -10.4 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +7).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 61

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

The verdict

Las Cruces, NM lands in the lower Good-day tercile (27.4% 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 61 and 27.4% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

61
median AQI · Moderate
27.4%
days rated Good
2%
cleaner than US metros
528
worst single reading

21 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
  • Las Cruces, NM metro's peak single-day AQI fell from 692 to 528 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -164 points.
  • Las Cruces, NM metro's Good-day share rose from 28.5% to 31.0% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +2.4 percentage points.

Compared against 340 monitored days in 2024 and 323 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

Las Cruces, NM lands in the lower Good-day tercile (27.4% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 27.4% 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 61 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Moderate / Poor). The monitored-day split lands at 100 Good (27%), 217 Moderate (59%), and 27 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (7%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 115; the highest single-day reading hit 528 (Hazardous).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -10.4 points and median AQI moved +7 (worsening). The annual record contains 21 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Albuquerque, NM (24.9% good, AQI 61); Fresno, CA (28.8% good, AQI 61); Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (31.0% good, AQI 61).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

61

Moderate

Good Days

27.4%

100 of 365 days

Max AQI

528

Hazardous

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 115

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

100

27%

Moderate

217

59%

USG

27

7%

Unhealthy

6

2%

Very Unhealthy

5

1%

Hazardous

10

3%

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The Las Cruces, NM metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 27.4% good air days. There were 21 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality posed significant health risk in 2025. Sensitive groups, including people with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, children, pregnant women, and adults over 65, should monitor AirNow.gov alerts and limit outdoor activity on Unhealthy (AQI 151+) and Very Unhealthy (201+) days. Peak readings reached AQI 528, beyond EPA's standard 0-500 scale, indicating an extreme event.

Sensitive group advisory

People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, children, pregnant women, and adults 65+ should follow EPA AQI alerts daily and limit outdoor exertion when AQI exceeds 100. Real-time conditions: airnow.gov.

Note: EPA's standard AQI scale caps at 500. The 528 peak reading represents an extreme event extrapolated beyond the index's design range. See EPA wildfire smoke guidance.

How does the Las Cruces, NM metro compare?

How Las Cruces, NM compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Las Cruces, NM 27.4%
Albuquerque, NM 24.9%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Las Cruces, NM 61
Albuquerque, NM 61
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
Las Cruces, NM 21
Albuquerque, NM 3
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Las Cruces, NM metro. Highest Good-day share: 2022 (46.6%, 157 of 337 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 144 201 3 54
2021 126 208 8 56
2022 157 179 1 53
2023 162 189 3 52
2024 97 237 6 62
2025 100 217 6 61

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Las Cruces, NM (61).

Albuquerque, NM

Median AQI 61 · 24.9% Good-day share

61

Fresno, CA

Median AQI 61 · 28.8% Good-day share

61

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Median AQI 61 · 31.0% Good-day share

61

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

Median AQI 59 · 28.2% Good-day share

59

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

Median AQI 63 · 10.1% Good-day share

63

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

Median AQI 58 · 28.8% Good-day share

58

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Las Cruces, NM's 21 (independent of median AQI).

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

13 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 78

78

Duluth, MN-WI

12 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 42

42

El Paso, TX

30 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 70

70

El Centro, CA

10 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 64

64

Fairbanks, AK

10 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

32 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 74

74

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Las Cruces, NM have? ▼
In 2025, the Las Cruces, NM metro area recorded 21 unhealthy air days (6 Unhealthy, 5 Very Unhealthy, 10 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 528.
What is the air quality in the Las Cruces, NM metro area? ▼
The Las Cruces, NM metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 61, rated "Moderate." 27.4% of monitored days (100 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Las Cruces, NM getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Las Cruces, NM metro is worsening across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2022 at 46.6% (157 of 337 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2024 at 28.5% (97 of 340 days).
What does AQI 61 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 61 is "Moderate", air quality is acceptable, but some pollutants may pose a moderate health concern for a small number of sensitive individuals.
How does Las Cruces, NM compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Las Cruces, NM metro has 27.4% good air days. Similar metros: Albuquerque, NM (24.9% good), Fresno, CA (28.8% good), Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (31.0% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Las Cruces, NM? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Las Cruces, NM metro area is 115, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 528 (Hazardous).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Las Cruces, NM, 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, Las Cruces, NM · 2020–2025