Metro area air quality · 2025
Rochester, MN
Median AQI 39 (Good). 69.5% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 39
- Median AQI
- 69.5%
- Good-air days
- 3
- Unhealthy days
- 44%
- Cleaner than US metros
Rochester, MN posted a 2025 median AQI of 39 (Good) with 69.5% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Rochester, MN CBSA recorded a median AQI of 39 across 344 monitored days in 2025, with 69.5% rated Good and 3 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 Rochester, MN CBSA's 69.5% Good-day share places it cleaner than 44% of US metros in 2025.
- Closest median-AQI peer
- Bay City, MI (70.4% Good, median AQI 39) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Rochester, MN.
- 2020–2025 Good-day shift
- Rochester, MN's Good-day share moved -9.5 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +1).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 39
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 344 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
Rochester, MN's peak reading 166 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 39 and 69.5% of 344 monitored days in the Good band.
- 39
- median AQI · Good
- 69.5%
- days rated Good
- 44%
- cleaner than US metros
- 166
- worst single reading
3 days reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Annual release change
What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release
- Rochester, MN metro's Good-day share rose from 63.9% to 70.5% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +6.6 percentage points.
- Rochester, MN metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 1 to 3 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +2 days.
- Rochester, MN metro's median AQI fell from 44 to 39 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -5 points.
- Rochester, MN metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 155 to 166 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +11 points.
Rochester, MN's peak reading 166 is in the upper max-AQI tercile among CBSA metros here. Signature read: peak AQI 166 (high tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 39 over 344 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 239 Good (69%), 97 Moderate (28%), and 5 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 65; the highest single-day reading hit 166 (Unhealthy).
Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -9.5 points and median AQI moved +1 (worsening). The annual record contains 3 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Bay City, MI (70.4% good, AQI 39); Brainerd, MN (74.3% good, AQI 39); Cambridge, MD (86.0% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
39
Good
Good Days
69.5%
239 of 344 days
Max AQI
166
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 65
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 344 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
239
69%
Moderate
97
28%
USG
5
1%
Unhealthy
3
1%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Rochester, MN metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 69.5% good air days. There were 3 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 5 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 166. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
How does the Rochester, MN metro compare?
How Rochester, MN compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in the Rochester, MN metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (80.0%, 292 of 365 monitored days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 292 | 73 | 0 | 38 | 111 |
| 2021 | 275 | 84 | 0 | 39 | 125 |
| 2022 | 280 | 78 | 0 | 41 | 110 |
| 2023 | 189 | 161 | 1 | 49 | 167 |
| 2024 | 234 | 131 | 1 | 44 | 155 |
| 2025 | 239 | 97 | 3 | 39 | 166 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Rochester, MN (39).
Bay City, MI
Median AQI 39 · 70.4% Good-day share
Brainerd, MN
Median AQI 39 · 74.3% Good-day share
Cambridge, MD
Median AQI 39 · 86.0% Good-day share
Charleston, WV
Median AQI 39 · 77.0% Good-day share
Dalton, GA
Median AQI 39 · 90.3% Good-day share
Harrisonburg, VA
Median AQI 39 · 80.0% Good-day share
Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure
A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Rochester, MN's 3 (independent of median AQI).
Albuquerque, NM
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 61
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 54
Fresno, CA
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 61
Kansas City, MO-KS
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 51
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 45
St. Cloud, MN
3 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 37
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Rochester, MN? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Rochester, MN have? ▼
What is the air quality in the Rochester, MN metro area? ▼
Is air quality in Rochester, MN getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 39 mean for health? ▼
How does Rochester, MN 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 Rochester, MN, 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, Rochester, MN · 2020–2025