Metro area air quality · 2025

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Median AQI 52 (Moderate). 45.6% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

52
Median AQI
45.6%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
9%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 274 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro runs moderate on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 52 with 45.6% of 274 monitored days in the Good band.

52
median AQI · Moderate
45.6%
days rated Good
9%
cleaner than US metros
105
worst single reading

No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Insights: New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 52 over 274 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Moderate band and a Poor metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 125 Good days (46%), 147 Moderate (54%), and 2 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 69 while the highest single-day reading hit 105 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 13.7 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -74 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (45.3% good, AQI 52); El Dorado, AR (44.0% good, AQI 52); Greeley, CO (42.7% good, AQI 52).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

52

Moderate

Good Days

45.6%

125 of 274 days

Max AQI

105

USG

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 69

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 274 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

125

46%

Moderate

147

54%

USG

2

1%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 45.6% 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro compare?

How New Orleans-Metairie, LA compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 45.6%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 45.3%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 52
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 52
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 0
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro. Best year: 2024 (199 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 199 167 0 48
2021 190 172 0 49
2022 158 204 0 52
2023 139 216 0 53
2024 199 161 1 48
2025 125 147 0 52

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

AQI 52 · 45.3% good

52

El Dorado, AR

AQI 52 · 44.0% good

52

Greeley, CO

AQI 52 · 42.7% good

52

Jackson, MS

AQI 52 · 43.4% good

52

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

AQI 52 · 47.0% good

52

Pittsburgh, PA

AQI 52 · 45.3% good

52

More Air Quality Data

Explore EPA air quality rankings and guides across U.S. metros and counties.

Cleanest Metro Areas

U.S. metros ranked by their share of Good air-quality days.

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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area? ▼
The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 52, rated "Moderate." 45.6% of monitored days (125 out of 274) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does New Orleans-Metairie, LA have? ▼
In 2025, the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 105.
Is air quality in New Orleans-Metairie, LA getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 199 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 125 good days.
What does AQI 52 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 52 is "Moderate", air quality is acceptable, but some pollutants may pose a moderate health concern for a small number of sensitive individuals.
What is the 90th percentile AQI for New Orleans-Metairie, LA? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area is 69, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 105 (USG).
How does New Orleans-Metairie, LA compare to other metro areas? ▼
The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro has 45.6% good air days. Similar metros: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (45.3% good), El Dorado, AR (44.0% good), Greeley, CO (42.7% 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.

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.