Grand Rapids Best & Worst AQI Days: Air Quality Guide
The worst air quality day on record for Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI area) was June 27, 2023, when the daily AQI reached 227 (Very Unhealthy), set by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season. Across 2,557 monitored days in 2019–2025, 8 of the 10 worst days were Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; 6 of the 10 were driven by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 4 by ground-level ozone, and 3 of them fell in 2023. The cleanest day was January 17, 2023 at AQI 3 (Good); the 10 best days span 3 different years.
Extra Protection for Grand Rapids Homes
Air quality in Grand Rapids is moderate (AQI 53), 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 Grand Rapids's worst and best air quality days?
Worst: June 27, 2023, AQI 227 (Very Unhealthy, PM2.5). Best: January 17, 2023, AQI 3 (Good). Based on 2,557 EPA-monitored days in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI area, 2019–2025.
- ✓8 of the 10 worst days were Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; the 10th-worst was AQI 143 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) drove 6 of the 10 worst days.
- ✓2023 accounts for 3 of the 10 worst days.
Frequently asked questions
What was the worst air quality day in Grand Rapids?▾
June 27, 2023: the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI area's daily AQI hit 227 (Very Unhealthy), driven by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season. That is the highest of 2,557 monitored days in 2019–2025.
What was the best air quality day in Grand Rapids?▾
January 17, 2023, with a daily AQI of 3 (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 Grand Rapids's worst air quality day in 2025?▾
July 31, 2025, AQI 163 (Unhealthy), set by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season.
Which pollutant causes Grand Rapids's worst air days?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the AQI on 6 of the 10 worst days; ground-level ozone on 4. The tables above list the defining pollutant for every day.
Grand Rapids's 10 worst air quality days, 2019–2025
Highest daily AQI recorded for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 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) | 227 | Very Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 2 | (2023 page) | 195 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 3 | (2023 page) | 173 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 4 | (2022 page) | 164 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 5 | (2025 page) | 163 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 6 | (2022 page) | 156 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 7 | (2020 page) | 154 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 8 | (2025 page) | 151 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 9 | (2020 page) | 150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 10 | (2021 page) | 143 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone |
Worst day of each year in Grand Rapids
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 | 100 | Moderate | O3 — ground-level ozone | |
| 2020 | 154 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season | |
| 2021 | 143 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone | |
| 2022 | 164 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2023 | 227 | Very Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season | |
| 2024 | 112 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2025 | 163 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
Grand Rapids's 10 best air quality days, 2019–2025
Lowest daily AQI recorded for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI area. Ties are listed most recent first.
| # | Date | AQI | Category | Defining pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (2023 page) | 3 | Good | CO — carbon monoxide |
| 2 | (2020 page) | 7 | Good | NO2 — nitrogen dioxide |
| 3 | (2019 page) | 7 | Good | NO2 — nitrogen dioxide |
| 4 | (2020 page) | 9 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 5 | (2020 page) | 13 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 6 | (2020 page) | 13 | Good | NO2 — nitrogen dioxide |
| 7 | (2023 page) | 15 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 8 | (2023 page) | 15 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 9 | (2020 page) | 16 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 10 | (2020 page) | 16 | Good | NO2 — nitrogen dioxide |
Right now in Grand Rapids
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Grand Rapids's AQI at 53 (PM2.5). The days above are historical records, not today's reading.
View current Grand Rapids air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI), 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.