Metro area air quality · 2025
McAlester, OK
Median AQI 48 (Good). 57.9% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 48
- Median AQI
- 57.9%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 20%
- Cleaner than US metros
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 273 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
The McAlester, OK metro runs good on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 48 with 57.9% of 273 monitored days in the Good band.
- 48
- median AQI · Good
- 57.9%
- days rated Good
- 20%
- cleaner than US metros
- 140
- worst single reading
No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Insights: McAlester, OK metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 48 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 158 Good days (58%), 112 Moderate (41%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 64 while the highest single-day reading hit 140 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 17.4 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.
Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -72 and the median AQI moved +4 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as worsening. 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 Brookings, SD (53.0% good, AQI 48); Charleston-North Charleston, SC (58.2% good, AQI 48); Chattanooga, TN-GA (53.9% good, AQI 48).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
48
Good
Good Days
57.9%
158 of 273 days
Max AQI
140
USG
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 64
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
158
58%
Moderate
112
41%
USG
3
1%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The McAlester, OK metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 57.9% 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 McAlester, OK metro compare?
How McAlester, OK compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in the McAlester, OK metro. Best year: 2020 (230 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 230 | 135 | 0 | 44 | 141 |
| 2021 | 176 | 180 | 0 | 51 | 117 |
| 2022 | 208 | 136 | 0 | 47 | 139 |
| 2023 | 196 | 152 | 0 | 49 | 119 |
| 2024 | 198 | 162 | 0 | 48 | 105 |
| 2025 | 158 | 112 | 0 | 48 | 140 |
Metros with Similar Air Quality
Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to McAlester, OK.
More Air Quality Data
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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
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Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in the McAlester, OK metro area? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does McAlester, OK have? ▼
Is air quality in McAlester, OK getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 48 mean for health? ▼
What is the 90th percentile AQI for McAlester, OK? ▼
How does McAlester, OK compare to other metro areas? ▼
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.