Columbus Best & Worst AQI Days: Air Quality Guide
The worst air quality day on record for Columbus (Columbus, OH area) was June 28, 2023, when the daily AQI reached 210 (Very Unhealthy), set by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season. Across 2,557 monitored days in 2019–2025, 5 of the 10 worst days were Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; 7 of the 10 were driven by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 3 by ground-level ozone, and 6 of them fell in 2023. The cleanest day was February 5, 2020 at AQI 14 (Good); the 10 best days span 6 different years.
Extra Protection for Columbus Homes
Air quality in Columbus is moderate (AQI 58), 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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When were Columbus's worst and best air quality days?
Worst: June 28, 2023, AQI 210 (Very Unhealthy, PM2.5). Best: February 5, 2020, AQI 14 (Good). Based on 2,557 EPA-monitored days in the Columbus, OH area, 2019–2025.
- ✓5 of the 10 worst days were Unhealthy (AQI 151+) or worse; the 10th-worst was AQI 118 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) drove 7 of the 10 worst days.
- ✓2023 accounts for 6 of the 10 worst days.
Frequently asked questions
What was the worst air quality day in Columbus?▾
June 28, 2023: the Columbus, OH area's daily AQI hit 210 (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 Columbus?▾
February 5, 2020, with a daily AQI of 14 (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 Columbus's worst air quality day in 2025?▾
June 12, 2025, AQI 156 (Unhealthy), set by ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season.
Which pollutant causes Columbus's worst air days?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the AQI on 7 of the 10 worst days; ground-level ozone on 3. The tables above list the defining pollutant for every day.
Columbus's 10 worst air quality days, 2019–2025
Highest daily AQI recorded for the Columbus, OH 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) | 210 | Very Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 2 | (2023 page) | 183 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 3 | (2023 page) | 161 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 4 | (2025 page) | 156 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 5 | (2023 page) | 153 | Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 6 | (2023 page) | 144 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 7 | (2022 page) | 143 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 8 | (2023 page) | 140 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
| 9 | (2025 page) | 136 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
| 10 | (2024 page) | 118 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season |
Worst day of each year in Columbus
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 | 101 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2020 | 102 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) | |
| 2021 | 100 | Moderate | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2022 | 143 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season | |
| 2023 | 210 | Very Unhealthy | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season | |
| 2024 | 118 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5), in wildfire smoke season | |
| 2025 | 156 | Unhealthy | O3 — ground-level ozone, in peak ozone season |
Columbus's 10 best air quality days, 2019–2025
Lowest daily AQI recorded for the Columbus, OH area. Ties are listed most recent first.
| # | Date | AQI | Category | Defining pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (2020 page) | 14 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 2 | (2019 page) | 15 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 3 | (2024 page) | 17 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 4 | (2020 page) | 17 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 5 | (2022 page) | 18 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 6 | (2025 page) | 19 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 7 | (2024 page) | 19 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 8 | (2024 page) | 19 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
| 9 | (2022 page) | 19 | Good | O3 — ground-level ozone |
| 10 | (2021 page) | 19 | Good | PM2.5 — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) |
Right now in Columbus
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Columbus's AQI at 58 (PM2.5). The days above are historical records, not today's reading.
View current Columbus air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Columbus, OH), 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.