Metro area air quality · 2025

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Median AQI 44 (Good). 69.2% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

44
Median AQI
69.2%
Good-air days
1
Unhealthy days
43%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 182 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro runs good on the EPA scale, more polluted than the median US metro, a median AQI of 44 with 69.2% of 182 monitored days in the Good band.

44
median AQI · Good
69.2%
days rated Good
43%
cleaner than US metros
155
worst single reading

1 day reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Insights: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 44 over 182 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 126 Good days (69%), 54 Moderate (30%), and 1 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 67 while the highest single-day reading hit 155 (Unhealthy). Metro residents averaged roughly 20.8 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -60 and the median AQI moved -6 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as improving. The metro recorded 1 unhealthy-or-worse days combined, on those days the EPA recommends that sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion, and many schools and athletic programs adjust outdoor activity accordingly. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Athens-Clarke County, GA (66.7% good, AQI 44); Bartlesville, OK (65.6% good, AQI 44); Bloomington, IL (64.1% good, AQI 44).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

44

Good

Good Days

69.2%

126 of 182 days

Max AQI

155

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 67

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 182 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

126

69%

Moderate

54

30%

USG

1

1%

Unhealthy

1

1%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 69.2% good air days. There were 1 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 1 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 155. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro compare?

How Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 69.2%
Athens-Clarke County, GA 66.7%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 44
Athens-Clarke County, GA 44
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1
Athens-Clarke County, GA 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro. Best year: 2024 (208 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 186 177 1 50
2021 171 186 3 51
2022 206 159 0 48
2023 134 201 6 55
2024 208 152 2 47
2025 126 54 1 44

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.

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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area?
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 44, rated "Good." 69.2% of monitored days (126 out of 182) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI have?
In 2025, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area recorded 1 unhealthy air days (1 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 155.
Is air quality in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 208 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 126 good days.
What does AQI 44 mean for health?
An AQI of 44 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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area is 67, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 155 (Unhealthy).
How does Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI compare to other metro areas?
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro has 69.2% good air days. Similar metros: Athens-Clarke County, GA (66.7% good), Bartlesville, OK (65.6% good), Bloomington, IL (64.1% 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.