Metro area air quality · 2025

New Haven-Milford, CT

Median AQI 43 (Good). 67.1% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

43
Median AQI
67.1%
Good-air days
2
Unhealthy days
39%
Cleaner than US metros

New Haven-Milford, CT posted a 2025 median AQI of 43 (Good) with 67.1% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the New Haven-Milford, CT CBSA recorded a median AQI of 43 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 67.1% rated Good and 2 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 New Haven-Milford, CT CBSA's 67.1% Good-day share places it cleaner than 39% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Ashtabula, OH (81.2% Good, median AQI 43) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to New Haven-Milford, CT.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
New Haven-Milford, CT's Good-day share moved +10.1 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI -3).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 43

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

The verdict

New Haven-Milford, CT's peak reading 159 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, more polluted than the median US metro, with a median AQI of 43 and 67.1% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

43
median AQI · Good
67.1%
days rated Good
39%
cleaner than US metros
159
worst single reading

2 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
  • New Haven-Milford, CT metro's Good-day share fell from 73.2% to 69.2% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -4.0 percentage points.
  • New Haven-Milford, CT metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 1 to 2 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +1 days.

Compared against 355 monitored days in 2024 and 354 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

New Haven-Milford, CT's peak reading 159 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. Signature read: peak AQI 159 (high tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 43 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 245 Good (67%), 107 Moderate (29%), and 11 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (3%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 68; the highest single-day reading hit 159 (Unhealthy).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted +10.1 points and median AQI moved -3 (improving). The annual record contains 2 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Ashtabula, OH (81.2% good, AQI 43); Bloomington, IN (67.7% good, AQI 43); Champaign-Urbana, IL (65.8% good, AQI 43).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

43

Good

Good Days

67.1%

245 of 365 days

Max AQI

159

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 68

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

245

67%

Moderate

107

29%

USG

11

3%

Unhealthy

2

1%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The New Haven-Milford, CT metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 67.1% good air days. There were 2 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 11 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 159. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the New Haven-Milford, CT metro compare?

How New Haven-Milford, CT compares

Good-day share worse than typical
New Haven-Milford, CT 67.1%
Ashtabula, OH 81.2%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
New Haven-Milford, CT 43
Ashtabula, OH 43
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
New Haven-Milford, CT 2
Ashtabula, OH 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the New Haven-Milford, CT metro. Highest Good-day share: 2024 (73.2%, 260 of 355 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 210 143 2 46
2021 220 131 2 46
2022 230 128 0 44
2023 205 148 2 47
2024 260 94 1 41
2025 245 107 2 43

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near New Haven-Milford, CT (43).

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to New Haven-Milford, CT's 2 (independent of median AQI).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 90th percentile AQI for New Haven-Milford, CT?
The 90th percentile AQI for the New Haven-Milford, CT metro area is 68, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 159 (Unhealthy).
How many unhealthy air days does New Haven-Milford, CT have?
In 2025, the New Haven-Milford, CT metro area recorded 2 unhealthy air days (2 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 159.
What is the air quality in the New Haven-Milford, CT metro area?
The New Haven-Milford, CT metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 67.1% of monitored days (245 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in New Haven-Milford, CT getting better or worse?
Air quality in the New Haven-Milford, CT metro is improving across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2024 at 73.2% (260 of 355 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2023 at 57.7% (205 of 355 days).
What does AQI 43 mean for health?
An AQI of 43 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
How does New Haven-Milford, CT compare to other metro areas?
The New Haven-Milford, CT metro has 67.1% good air days. Similar metros: Ashtabula, OH (81.2% good), Bloomington, IN (67.7% good), Champaign-Urbana, IL (65.8% good).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for New Haven-Milford, CT, 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, New Haven-Milford, CT · 2020–2025