Minneapolis Air Quality in October
Across 2019–2025, Minneapolis's October air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area. 0.0% of October days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 65.9% of days. The cleanest October on record here was 2019 (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 55, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 90).
- Good: 61.8%
- Moderate: 38.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Minneapolis
Today's main pollutant in Minneapolis is ground-level ozone (AQI 25). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How is the air in Minneapolis in October?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of October days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓61.8% of October days were Good (AQI 0–50), 38.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the October peak was 90.
- ✓Best October: 2019; worst October: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Minneapolis in October?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Minneapolis in October was 44 (Good). 61.8% of days were Good, 38.2% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is October a good time for outdoor exercise in Minneapolis?▾
A typical October day in Minneapolis sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Minneapolis's October air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 65.9% of October days in Minneapolis. The highest October AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 90 (Moderate), in 2022.
Minneapolis October air quality, year by year
Minneapolis October air quality by year (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 31 | 55 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
What October air means in Minneapolis
A typical October day in Minneapolis sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
October's median AQI of 44 is below Minneapolis's whole-year median of 50, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median October AQI across every EPA metro area (102,872 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 38, so Minneapolis runs above the national October norm; 0.0% of its October days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
October is part of Minneapolis's fall season (September, October, November); the fall page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Minneapolis
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Minneapolis's AQI at 25 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Minneapolis air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI), 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.