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

Wichita, KS lands in the lower Good-day tercile (50.4% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, among the more polluted US metros, with a median AQI of 50 and 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

2024 → 2025
  • 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.

Compared against 362 monitored days in 2024 and 361 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

Wichita, KS lands in the lower Good-day tercile (50.4% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 50.4% 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 50 over 365 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 184 Good (50%), 177 Moderate (48%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 66; the highest single-day reading hit 370 (Hazardous).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -9.6 points and median AQI moved +3 (worsening). The annual record contains 1 day at Unhealthy or worse. 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).

Health effects of air pollution →

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

Moderate

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

Good-day share worse than typical
Wichita, KS 50.4%
Fort Collins, CO 50.7%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Wichita, KS 50
Fort Collins, CO 50
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr about typical
Wichita, KS 1
Fort Collins, CO 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Wichita, KS metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (60.6%, 218 of 360 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 218 142 0 47
2021 141 219 0 54
2022 168 192 0 52
2023 163 197 1 52
2024 208 153 1 47
2025 184 177 0 50

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

50

Madera, CA

Median AQI 50 · 50.4% Good-day share

50

Merced, CA

Median AQI 50 · 51.0% Good-day share

50

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Median AQI 50 · 51.2% Good-day share

50

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

Median AQI 50 · 52.0% Good-day share

50

Reno, NV

Median AQI 50 · 50.1% Good-day share

50

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

41

Bangor, ME

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 33

33

Baraboo, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35

35

Bartlesville, OK

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52

52

Beaver Dam, WI

1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 40

40

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Wichita, KS have? ▼
In 2025, the Wichita, KS metro area recorded 1 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 1 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 370.
What is the air quality in the Wichita, KS metro area? ▼
The Wichita, KS metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 50, rated "Good." 50.4% of monitored days (184 out of 365) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Wichita, KS getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Wichita, KS metro is worsening across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2020 at 60.6% (218 of 360 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2021 at 39.2% (141 of 360 days).
What does AQI 50 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 50 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
How does Wichita, KS compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Wichita, KS metro has 50.4% good air days. Similar metros: Fort Collins, CO (50.7% good), Madera, CA (50.4% good), Merced, CA (51.0% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Wichita, KS? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Wichita, KS metro area is 66, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 370 (Hazardous).

Data Sources

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