Nashville Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Nashville's May air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area. 0.5% of May days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 57.1% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2020 (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 52, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 101).
- Good: 45.6%
- Moderate: 53.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Nashville
Today's main pollutant in Nashville is ground-level ozone (AQI 64). 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 Nashville in May?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of May days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓45.6% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 53.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 101.
- ✓Best May: 2020; worst May: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Nashville in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Nashville in May was 52 (Moderate). 45.6% of days were Good, 53.9% Moderate, and 0.5% 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 Nashville?▾
A typical May day in Nashville is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Nashville's May air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 57.1% of May days in Nashville. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2021.
Nashville May air quality, year by year
Nashville May air quality by year (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 44 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 52 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 54 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
What May air means in Nashville
A typical May day in Nashville is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
May's median AQI of 52 is in line with Nashville's whole-year median of 52, 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 Nashville runs above the national May norm; 0.5% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (about the same).
May is part of Nashville's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Nashville
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Nashville's AQI at 64 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Nashville air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN), 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.