Metro area air quality · 2025
Wichita, KS
Median AQI 50 (Good). 50.4% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 50
- Median AQI
- 50.4%
- Good-air days
- 1
- Unhealthy days
- 12%
- Cleaner than US metros
Wichita, KS posted a 2025 median AQI of 50 (Good) with 50.4% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Wichita, KS CBSA recorded a median AQI of 50 across 365 monitored days in 2025, with 50.4% 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 Wichita, KS CBSA's 50.4% Good-day share places it cleaner than 12% of US metros in 2025.
- Closest median-AQI peer
- Fort Collins, CO (50.7% Good, median AQI 50) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Wichita, KS.
- 2020–2025 Good-day shift
- Wichita, KS's Good-day share moved -9.6 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +3).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 50
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 365 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
The Wichita, KS metro runs good on the EPA scale, among the more polluted US metros, a median AQI of 50 with 50.4% of 365 monitored days in the Good band.
- 50
- median AQI · Good
- 50.4%
- days rated Good
- 12%
- cleaner than US metros
- 370
- 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
- Wichita, KS metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 196 to 370 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +174 points.
- Wichita, KS metro's Good-day share fell from 57.5% to 51.0% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -6.5 percentage points.
- Wichita, KS metro's median AQI rose from 47 to 50 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +3 points.
- Wichita, KS metro's Unhealthy-category days fell from 1 to 0 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -1 days.
Insights: Wichita, KS metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 50 over 365 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 184 Good days (50%), 177 Moderate (48%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 66 while the highest single-day reading hit 370 (Hazardous). Metro residents averaged roughly 15.1 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.
Across the 2020–2025 trend window, the share of monitored days rated Good shifted by -9.6 points and the median AQI moved +3 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as worsening. The annual record contains 1 day at Unhealthy or worse. On that day, the EPA recommends that sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Fort Collins, CO (50.7% good, AQI 50); Madera, CA (50.4% good, AQI 50); Merced, CA (51.0% good, AQI 50).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
50
Good
Good Days
50.4%
184 of 365 days
Max AQI
370
Hazardous
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 66
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 365 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
184
50%
Moderate
177
48%
USG
3
1%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
1
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Wichita, KS metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 50.4% good air days. There were 1 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 370, 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 Wichita, KS metro compare?
How Wichita, KS compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in the Wichita, KS metro. Best year: 2020 (218 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 218 | 142 | 0 | 47 | 117 |
| 2021 | 141 | 219 | 0 | 54 | 147 |
| 2022 | 168 | 192 | 0 | 52 | 119 |
| 2023 | 163 | 197 | 1 | 52 | 157 |
| 2024 | 208 | 153 | 1 | 47 | 196 |
| 2025 | 184 | 177 | 0 | 50 | 370 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Wichita, KS (50).
Fort Collins, CO
Median AQI 50 · 50.7% Good-day share
Madera, CA
Median AQI 50 · 50.4% Good-day share
Merced, CA
Median AQI 50 · 51.0% Good-day share
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Median AQI 50 · 51.2% Good-day share
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Median AQI 50 · 52.0% Good-day share
Reno, NV
Median AQI 50 · 50.1% Good-day share
Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure
A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Wichita, KS'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
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 Wichita, KS metro area? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Wichita, KS have? ▼
Is air quality in Wichita, KS getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 50 mean for health? ▼
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Wichita, KS? ▼
How does Wichita, KS compare to other metro areas? ▼
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
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Every figure on PlainAirData 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.