Kansas City Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, Kansas City's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 57 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Kansas City, MO-KS area. 7.6% of summer days (49 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 50.3% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2019 (median AQI 54, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 69, 19 days above 100, peak AQI 166).
- Good: 26.2%
- Moderate: 66.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 6.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.8%
Extra Protection for Kansas City Homes
Air quality in Kansas City is moderate (AQI 64), 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 Kansas City in summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 57 across 2019–2025, with 7.6% of summer days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓26.2% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 66.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓49 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 166.
- ✓Cleanest month: August; worst month: June.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Kansas City in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Kansas City in summer was 57 (Moderate). 26.2% of days were Good, 66.1% Moderate, and 7.6% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is summer a good time for outdoor exercise in Kansas City?▾
A typical summer day in Kansas City is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 13 of summer days (7.6%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Kansas City's summer air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 50.3% of summer days in Kansas City. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 166 (Unhealthy), in 2023.
Kansas City summer air quality, year by year
Kansas City summer air quality by year (Kansas City, MO-KS, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 92 | 54 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 56 | 4 | 159 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 92 | 58 | 9 | 147 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 92 | 59 | 7 | 115 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 92 | 69 | 19 | 166 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 54 | 4 | 126 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 54 | 6 | 157 | PM2.5 |
What summer air means in Kansas City
A typical summer day in Kansas City is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 13 of summer days (7.6%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Summer's median AQI of 57 is in line with Kansas City's whole-year median of 54, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Summer AQI across every EPA metro area (308,645 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 46, so Kansas City runs above the national Summer norm; 7.6% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, August is the cleanest month (median AQI 55, 4.2% of days above 100) and June the worst (median 61, 10.0% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Kansas City
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Kansas City's AQI at 64 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Kansas City air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Kansas City, MO-KS), 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.