Los Angeles vs San Jose Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of November 14, 2026, San Jose, CA has cleaner air than Los Angeles, CA — AQI 13 (Good) vs 20 (Good), a gap of 7 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Los Angeles's reading is driven by O3 and San Jose's by PM2.5.
Los Angeles, CA
Good
San Jose, CA
Good
Summary
San Jose has 7 points better air quality
San Jose has an AQI of 13 compared to 20
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Los Angeles
Today's main pollutant in Los Angeles is ground-level ozone (AQI 20). 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.
Compare activated-carbon purifiers (for gases & ozone):
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5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | Los Angeles | San Jose | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 41 | AQI 35 | San Jose |