Metro area air quality · 2025
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Median AQI 43 (Good). 70.1% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 43
- Median AQI
- 70.1%
- Good-air days
- 1
- Unhealthy days
- 46%
- Cleaner than US metros
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA posted a 2025 median AQI of 43 (Good) with 70.1% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA CBSA recorded a median AQI of 43 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 70.1% rated Good and 1 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA CBSA's 70.1% Good-day share places it cleaner than 46% 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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
- 2020–2025 Good-day shift
- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA's Good-day share moved +22.4 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI -8).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 43
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 365 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA's peak reading 196 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 70.1% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.
- 43
- median AQI · Good
- 70.1%
- days rated Good
- 46%
- cleaner than US metros
- 196
- worst single reading
1 day reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Annual release change
What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release
- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro's Good-day share fell from 76.9% to 70.9% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -5.9 percentage points.
- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 147 to 196 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +49 points.
- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 0 to 1 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +1 days.
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA's peak reading 196 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. Signature read: peak AQI 196 (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 256 Good (70%), 104 Moderate (28%), and 4 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 64; the highest single-day reading hit 196 (Unhealthy).
Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted +22.4 points and median AQI moved -8 (improving). The annual record contains 1 day 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).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
43
Good
Good Days
70.1%
256 of 365 days
Max AQI
196
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 64
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
256
70%
Moderate
104
28%
USG
4
1%
Unhealthy
1
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 70.1% good air days. There were 1 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 4 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 196. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
How does the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro compare?
How Providence-Warwick, RI-MA compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro. Highest Good-day share: 2024 (76.9%, 279 of 363 monitored days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 176 | 186 | 1 | 51 | 154 |
| 2021 | 213 | 148 | 0 | 47 | 147 |
| 2022 | 243 | 117 | 1 | 44 | 164 |
| 2023 | 200 | 154 | 0 | 48 | 140 |
| 2024 | 279 | 84 | 0 | 42 | 147 |
| 2025 | 256 | 104 | 1 | 43 | 196 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Providence-Warwick, RI-MA (43).
Ashtabula, OH
Median AQI 43 · 81.2% Good-day share
Bloomington, IN
Median AQI 43 · 67.7% Good-day share
Champaign-Urbana, IL
Median AQI 43 · 65.8% Good-day share
Cleveland, MS
Median AQI 43 · 71.9% Good-day share
Columbus, IN
Median AQI 43 · 72.6% Good-day share
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Median AQI 43 · 71.5% Good-day share
Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure
A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Providence-Warwick, RI-MA's 1 (independent of median AQI).
Ann Arbor, MI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 41
Bangor, ME
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 33
Baraboo, WI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35
Bartlesville, OK
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52
Beaver Dam, WI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 40
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Providence-Warwick, RI-MA? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Providence-Warwick, RI-MA have? ▼
What is the air quality in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area? ▼
Is air quality in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 43 mean for health? ▼
How does Providence-Warwick, RI-MA compare to other metro areas? ▼
Data Sources
Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, 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, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA · 2020–2025