San Francisco vs Bakersfield Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of September 16, 2026, San Francisco, CA has cleaner air than Bakersfield, CA — AQI 36 (Good) vs 74 (Moderate), a gap of 38 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
Moderate
Summary
San Francisco has 38 points better air quality
San Francisco has an AQI of 36 compared to 74
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Bakersfield
Today's main pollutant in Bakersfield is ground-level ozone (AQI 74). 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 44 | AQI 71 | San Francisco |
| Wed, Sep 16 | AQI 50 | AQI 71 | San Francisco |