Grand Rapids Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Grand Rapids's May air quality had a median AQI of 48 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI area. 0.9% of May days (2 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 58.5% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2019 (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 52, 2 days above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 57.1%
- Moderate: 41.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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
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How is the air in Grand Rapids in May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48 across 2019–2025, with 0.9% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓57.1% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 41.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓2 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 105.
- ✓Best May: 2019; worst May: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Grand Rapids in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Grand Rapids in May was 48 (Good). 57.1% of days were Good, 41.9% Moderate, and 0.9% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is May a good time for outdoor exercise in Grand Rapids?▾
A typical May day in Grand Rapids sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Grand Rapids's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 58.5% of May days in Grand Rapids. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2023.
Grand Rapids May air quality, year by year
Grand Rapids May air quality by year (Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 41 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 52 | 2 | 105 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
What May air means in Grand Rapids
A typical May day in Grand Rapids sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
May's median AQI of 48 is in line with Grand Rapids's whole-year median of 51, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median May AQI across every EPA metro area (104,064 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so Grand Rapids runs above the national May norm; 0.9% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (about the same).
May is part of Grand Rapids's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Grand Rapids
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Grand Rapids's AQI at 53 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, 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.