Little Rock Best & Worst AQI Days: Air Quality Guide
The worst air quality day on record for Little Rock (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR area) was June 19, 2023, when the daily AQI reached 174 (Unhealthy), set by ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season. Across 2,557 monitored days in 2019–2025, 1 of the 10 worst days was Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; 6 of the 10 were driven by ground-level ozone and 4 by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and 3 of them fell in 2024. The cleanest day was October 29, 2023 at AQI 11 (Good); the 10 best days span 6 different years.
Extra Protection for Little Rock Homes
Air quality in Little Rock is moderate (AQI 96), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty — True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
When were Little Rock's worst and best air quality days?
Worst: June 19, 2023, AQI 174 (Unhealthy, O3). Best: October 29, 2023, AQI 11 (Good). Based on 2,557 EPA-monitored days in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR area, 2019–2025.
- ✓1 of the 10 worst days were Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; the 10th-worst was AQI 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Ground-level ozone drove 6 of the 10 worst days.
- ✓2024 accounts for 3 of the 10 worst days.
Frequently asked questions
What was the worst air quality day in Little Rock?▾
June 19, 2023: the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR area's daily AQI hit 174 (Unhealthy), driven by ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season. That is the highest of 2,557 monitored days in 2019–2025.
What was the best air quality day in Little Rock?▾
October 29, 2023, with a daily AQI of 11 (Good). The daily AQI is the highest reading from any monitor in the area, so even the cleanest day reflects the area's worst monitor.
What was Little Rock's worst air quality day in 2025?▾
March 15, 2025, AQI 138 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), set by fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Which pollutant causes Little Rock's worst air days?▾
Ground-level ozone set the AQI on 6 of the 10 worst days; fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on 4. The tables above list the defining pollutant for every day.
Little Rock's 10 worst air quality days, 2019–2025
Highest daily AQI recorded for the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR area (EPA AQS). The daily AQI is the highest reading from any monitor in the area that day.
| # | Date | AQI | Category | Defining pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (2023 page) | 174 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 2 | (2024 page) | 147 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 3 | (2025 page) | 138 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 4 | (2020 page) | 132 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 5 | (2023 page) | 122 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 6 | (2024 page) | 120 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 7 | (2024 page) | 118 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 8 | (2022 page) | 115 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 9 | (2025 page) | 112 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 10 | (2025 page) | 112 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone |
Worst day of each year in Little Rock
The single highest-AQI day in each year on record. Click a year for its full month-by-month statistics.
| Year | Worst day | AQI | Category | Defining pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 81 | Moderate | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) | |
| 2020 | 132 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season | |
| 2021 | 112 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone | |
| 2022 | 115 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone | |
| 2023 | 174 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2024 | 147 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2025 | 138 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
Little Rock's 10 best air quality days, 2019–2025
Lowest daily AQI recorded for the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR area. Ties are listed most recent first.
| # | Date | AQI | Category | Defining pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (2023 page) | 11 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 2 | (2020 page) | 15 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 3 | (2024 page) | 19 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 4 | (2023 page) | 19 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 5 | (2020 page) | 19 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 6 | (2019 page) | 20 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 7 | (2022 page) | 21 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 8 | (2025 page) | 22 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 9 | (2024 page) | 22 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 10 | (2022 page) | 22 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
Right now in Little Rock
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Little Rock's AQI at 96 (PM2.5). The days above are historical records, not today's reading.
View current Little Rock air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.