Metro area air quality · 2025
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Median AQI 48 (Good). 54.6% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 48
- Median AQI
- 54.6%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 17%
- Cleaner than US metros
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 273 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro runs good on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 48 with 54.6% of 273 monitored days in the Good band.
- 48
- median AQI · Good
- 54.6%
- days rated Good
- 17%
- cleaner than US metros
- 143
- worst single reading
No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Insights: Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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 149 Good days (55%), 122 Moderate (45%), and 2 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 67 while the highest single-day reading hit 143 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 16.4 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.
Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by +9 and the median AQI moved -5 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 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
54.6%
149 of 273 days
Max AQI
143
USG
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 67
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
149
55%
Moderate
122
45%
USG
2
1%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 54.6% 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro compare?
How Memphis, TN-MS-AR compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro. Best year: 2021 (179 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 140 | 222 | 1 | 53 | 153 |
| 2021 | 179 | 179 | 0 | 51 | 150 |
| 2022 | 164 | 188 | 3 | 52 | 159 |
| 2023 | 104 | 246 | 0 | 55 | 140 |
| 2024 | 118 | 237 | 3 | 56 | 159 |
| 2025 | 149 | 122 | 0 | 48 | 143 |
Metros with Similar Air Quality
Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
More Air Quality Data
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Cleanest Metro Areas
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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
What drives urban air quality and how metro areas compare.
Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Memphis, TN-MS-AR have? ▼
Is air quality in Memphis, TN-MS-AR getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 48 mean for health? ▼
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Memphis, TN-MS-AR? ▼
How does Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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.