San Francisco vs Bakersfield Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of November 14, 2026, San Francisco, CA has cleaner air than Bakersfield, CA — AQI 12 (Good) vs 29 (Good), a gap of 17 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. San Francisco's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Bakersfield's by O3.
San Francisco, CA
Good
Bakersfield, CA
Good
Summary
San Francisco has 17 points better air quality
San Francisco has an AQI of 12 compared to 29
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Bakersfield
Today's main pollutant in Bakersfield is ground-level ozone (AQI 29). 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 | San Francisco | Bakersfield | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 64 | AQI 48 | Bakersfield |