Metro area air quality · 2025

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

Median AQI 54 (Moderate). 41.0% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

54
Median AQI
41.0%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
6%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 273 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro runs moderate on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 54 with 41.0% of 273 monitored days in the Good band.

54
median AQI · Moderate
41.0%
days rated Good
6%
cleaner than US metros
143
worst single reading

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

Insights: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 54 over 273 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Moderate band and a Poor metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 112 Good days (41%), 158 Moderate (58%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 77 while the highest single-day reading hit 143 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 12.3 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by +9 and the median AQI moved -9 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as improving. 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 Baton Rouge, LA (35.0% good, AQI 54); Bishop, CA (40.7% good, AQI 54); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (34.3% good, AQI 54).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

54

Moderate

Good Days

41.0%

112 of 273 days

Max AQI

143

USG

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 77

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

112

41%

Moderate

158

58%

USG

3

1%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 41.0% 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 Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro compare?

How Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 41.0%
Baton Rouge, LA 35.0%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 54
Baton Rouge, LA 54
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 0
Baton Rouge, LA 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro. Best year: 2023 (129 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 103 213 21 63
2021 97 210 10 64
2022 115 209 4 61
2023 129 222 0 58
2024 125 206 0 55
2025 112 158 0 54

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA.

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 Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area?
The Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 54, rated "Moderate." 41.0% of monitored days (112 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA have?
In 2025, the Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 143.
Is air quality in Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2023 with 129 good days. Worst year: 2021 with 97 good days.
What does AQI 54 mean for health?
An AQI of 54 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 Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area is 77, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 143 (USG).
How does Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA compare to other metro areas?
The Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro has 41.0% good air days. Similar metros: Baton Rouge, LA (35.0% good), Bishop, CA (40.7% good), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (34.3% 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.