Richmond Air Quality in 2024

In 2024, Richmond's air quality (Richmond, VA area) had a median daily AQI of 44 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 253 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 182 of those days. The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 33, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 50, 1 day above 100, peak 112).

44
Median AQI
Good
1
Days above AQI 100
0.3% of 366 days
58
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
112
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
PM2.5
Main pollutant
182 of 366 days
253
Good days
69.1% of days
  • Good: 69.1%
  • Moderate: 30.6%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Richmond's air quality in 2024?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 44, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 4th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2024: 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 182 days.
  • Cleanest month: January; worst: August.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Richmond in 2024?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Richmond's (Richmond, VA) median daily AQI for 2024 at 44, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 112.

Which month had the worst air quality in Richmond in 2024?

The cleanest month of 2024 was January (median AQI 33, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 50, 1 day above 100, peak 112).

Was 2024 a good or bad year for Richmond's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 4th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2024's median of 44 is below the area's typical annual median of 47.

Richmond month by month in 2024

Richmond air quality month by month, 2024 (Richmond, VA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
Januarycleanest3133056PM2.5
February2942079PM2.5
March3142077O3
April3048065O3
May3143080O3
June3050074O3
July3149067O3
Augustworst31501112PM2.5
September3037056PM2.5
October3141061O3
November3038068PM2.5
December3146070PM2.5

How 2024 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 4th 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 Richmond

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Richmond's AQI at 37 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Richmond air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Richmond, VA), 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.