Charleston, SC Air Quality in 2024
In 2024, Charleston's air quality (Charleston-North Charleston, SC area) had a median daily AQI of 44 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 264 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 90 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 218 of those days. The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak 71).
- Good: 72.1%
- Moderate: 27.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Charleston
Today's main pollutant in Charleston is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). 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
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How was Charleston's air quality in 2024?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 2nd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2024: 90 (Moderate).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 218 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: June.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Charleston in 2024?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Charleston's (Charleston-North Charleston, SC) median daily AQI for 2024 at 44, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 90.
Which month had the worst air quality in Charleston in 2024?▾
The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak 71).
Was 2024 a good or bad year for Charleston's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2024's median of 44 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Charleston month by month in 2024
Charleston air quality month by month, 2024 (Charleston-North Charleston, SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 59 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 42 | 0 | 76 | O3 |
| March | 31 | 44 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 49 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 44 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| Juneworst | 30 | 50 | 0 | 71 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 42 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 48 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 41 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 44 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 38 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 39 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
How 2024 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2024's median of 44 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charleston
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charleston's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charleston air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charleston-North Charleston, SC), 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.