Metro area air quality · 2025

Tucson, AZ

Median AQI 54 (Moderate). 33.7% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

54
Median AQI
33.7%
Good-air days
5
Unhealthy days
4%
Cleaner than US metros

Tucson, AZ posted a 2025 median AQI of 54 (Moderate) with 33.7% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Tucson, AZ CBSA recorded a median AQI of 54 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 33.7% rated Good and 5 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 Tucson, AZ CBSA's 33.7% Good-day share places it cleaner than 4% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% Good, median AQI 54) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Tucson, AZ.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Tucson, AZ's Good-day share moved -1.0 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI -1).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 54

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

The verdict

Tucson, AZ lands in the lower Good-day tercile (33.7% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs moderate, among the more polluted US metros, with a median AQI of 54 and 33.7% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.

54
median AQI · Moderate
33.7%
days rated Good
4%
cleaner than US metros
357
worst single reading

5 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
  • Tucson, AZ metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 171 to 357 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +186 points.
  • Tucson, AZ metro's Good-day share rose from 31.7% to 34.2% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +2.4 percentage points.
  • Tucson, AZ metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 2 to 3 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +1 days.

Compared against 356 monitored days in 2024 and 360 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

Tucson, AZ lands in the lower Good-day tercile (33.7% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 33.7% Good-day share (low tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 54 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Moderate / Poor). The monitored-day split lands at 123 Good (34%), 234 Moderate (64%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 80; the highest single-day reading hit 357 (Hazardous).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -1.0 points and median AQI moved -1 (stable). The annual record contains 5 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% good, AQI 54); Cleveland-Elyria, OH (42.5% good, AQI 54); Columbus, OH (39.7% good, AQI 54).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

54

Moderate

Good Days

33.7%

123 of 365 days

Max AQI

357

Hazardous

Health Grade

Poor

90th pct: 80

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

123

34%

Moderate

234

64%

USG

3

1%

Unhealthy

3

1%

Very Unhealthy

1

0%

Hazardous

1

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Poor

The Tucson, AZ metro area's air quality is rated Poor based on 33.7% good air days. There were 5 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality posed significant health risk in 2025. Sensitive groups, including people with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, children, pregnant women, and adults over 65, should monitor AirNow.gov alerts and limit outdoor activity on Unhealthy (AQI 151+) and Very Unhealthy (201+) days. Peak readings reached AQI 357, well into the Hazardous range.

Sensitive group advisory

People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, children, pregnant women, and adults 65+ should follow EPA AQI alerts daily and limit outdoor exertion when AQI exceeds 100. Real-time conditions: airnow.gov.

How does the Tucson, AZ metro compare?

How Tucson, AZ compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Tucson, AZ 33.7%
Baton Rouge, LA 35.6%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Tucson, AZ 54
Baton Rouge, LA 54
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
Tucson, AZ 5
Baton Rouge, LA 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is stable in the Tucson, AZ metro. Highest Good-day share: 2022 (41.8%, 147 of 352 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 124 229 0 55
2021 93 258 0 56
2022 147 205 0 53
2023 123 235 0 54
2024 113 241 2 56
2025 123 234 3 54

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Tucson, AZ (54).

Baton Rouge, LA

Median AQI 54 · 35.6% Good-day share

54

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

Median AQI 54 · 42.5% Good-day share

54

Columbus, OH

Median AQI 54 · 39.7% Good-day share

54

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Median AQI 54 · 36.2% Good-day share

54

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Median AQI 54 · 37.5% Good-day share

54

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Median AQI 53 · 41.1% Good-day share

53

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Tucson, AZ's 5 (independent of median AQI).

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 59

59

Eau Claire, WI

5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 38

38

Hobbs, NM

5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Mankato-North Mankato, MN

5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 42

42

Minot, ND

5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 36

36

Appleton, WI

6 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 38

38

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Tucson, AZ have? ▼
In 2025, the Tucson, AZ metro area recorded 5 unhealthy air days (3 Unhealthy, 1 Very Unhealthy, 1 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 357.
What is the air quality in the Tucson, AZ metro area? ▼
The Tucson, AZ metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 54, rated "Moderate." 33.7% of monitored days (123 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Tucson, AZ getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Tucson, AZ metro is stable across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2022 at 41.8% (147 of 352 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2021 at 26.5% (93 of 351 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.
How does Tucson, AZ compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Tucson, AZ metro has 33.7% good air days. Similar metros: Baton Rouge, LA (35.6% good), Cleveland-Elyria, OH (42.5% good), Columbus, OH (39.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Tucson, AZ? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Tucson, AZ metro area is 80, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 357 (Hazardous).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Tucson, AZ, 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, Tucson, AZ · 2020–2025