Top 100 US Cities by Best Air Quality

Cities with the cleanest air based on EPA AirNow average AQI data. Lower AQI = cleaner air.

Top 3 Cities

Lubbock

Texas

Avg AQI

Palmdale

California

Avg AQI

Lancaster

California

Avg AQI

Full Ranking — Top 100

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Rank	City	State	Avg AQI
1	LubbockTX	Texas	0
2	PalmdaleCA	California	0
3	LancasterCA	California	0
4	Santa ClaritaCA	California	0
5	MilwaukeeWI	Wisconsin	6
6	SpringfieldMO	Missouri	7
7	MadisonWI	Wisconsin	10
8	AnchorageAK	Alaska	12
9	ColumbusOH	Ohio	12
10	HendersonNV	Nevada	12
11	RockfordIL	Illinois	14
12	TacomaWA	Washington	16
13	NapervilleIL	Illinois	16
14	JolietIL	Illinois	16
15	AuroraIL	Illinois	16
16	Kansas CityMO	Missouri	17
17	OlatheKS	Kansas	17
18	SyracuseNY	New York	17
19	Kansas CityKS	Kansas	17
20	Overland ParkKS	Kansas	17
21	EugeneOR	Oregon	18
22	Lexington-FayetteKY	Kentucky	18
23	SpokaneWA	Washington	19
24	AkronOH	Ohio	19
25	BuffaloNY	New York	20
26	ChicagoIL	Illinois	21
27	WichitaKS	Kansas	22
28	Port St. LucieFL	Florida	22
29	VancouverWA	Washington	22
30	EnterpriseNV	Nevada	23
31	North Las VegasNV	Nevada	23
32	ParadiseNV	Nevada	23
33	Sioux FallsSD	South Dakota	23
34	Spring ValleyNV	Nevada	23
35	Las VegasNV	Nevada	23
36	MemphisTN	Tennessee	23
37	SalemOR	Oregon	23
38	Sunrise ManorNV	Nevada	23
39	JacksonMS	Mississippi	23
40	St. PaulMN	Minnesota	24
41	MinneapolisMN	Minnesota	24
42	SavannahGA	Georgia	24
43	Cape CoralFL	Florida	24
44	Boise CityID	Idaho	24
45	OmahaNE	Nebraska	26
46	St. LouisMO	Missouri	26
47	PortlandOR	Oregon	26
48	ModestoCA	California	26
49	RenoNV	Nevada	26
50	Fort CollinsCO	Colorado	26
51	VisaliaCA	California	27
52	HialeahFL	Florida	27
53	HollywoodFL	Florida	27
54	MiamiFL	Florida	27
55	OrlandoFL	Florida	28
56	LincolnNE	Nebraska	28
57	CharlestonSC	South Carolina	28
58	LaredoTX	Texas	28
59	Elk GroveCA	California	29
60	TampaFL	Florida	29
61	SpringfieldMA	Massachusetts	29
62	PittsburghPA	Pennsylvania	29
63	Des MoinesIA	Iowa	29
64	IndianapolisIN	Indiana	29
65	Salt Lake CityUT	Utah	31
66	Louisville/Jefferson CountyKY	Kentucky	31
67	San AntonioTX	Texas	32
68	SacramentoCA	California	32
69	WorcesterMA	Massachusetts	32
70	ShreveportLA	Louisiana	32
71	DetroitMI	Michigan	32
72	DenverCO	Colorado	33
73	Fort LauderdaleFL	Florida	33
74	ThorntonCO	Colorado	33
75	Pembroke PinesFL	Florida	33
76	AuroraCO	Colorado	33
77	LakewoodCO	Colorado	33
78	Urban HonoluluHI	Hawaii	34
79	MobileAL	Alabama	34
80	TulsaOK	Oklahoma	34
81	Grand RapidsMI	Michigan	34
82	Colorado SpringsCO	Colorado	34
83	WacoTX	Texas	34
84	ToledoOH	Ohio	34
85	GainesvilleFL	Florida	35
86	SeattleWA	Washington	37
87	BellevueWA	Washington	37
88	Fort WayneIN	Indiana	38
89	TucsonAZ	Arizona	38
90	BirminghamAL	Alabama	38
91	BridgeportCT	Connecticut	38
92	ClarksvilleTN	Tennessee	39
93	FremontCA	California	40
94	HaywardCA	California	40
95	BostonMA	Massachusetts	41
96	JacksonvilleFL	Florida	42
97	Baton RougeLA	Louisiana	42
98	AlbuquerqueNM	New Mexico	43
99	MesquiteTX	Texas	44
100	PlanoTX	Texas	44

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS, BEA Regional Price Parities, EPA AirNow. Updated periodically.

Methodology

Ranked by average Air Quality Index (AQI) from EPA AirNow monitoring. AQI runs 0–500; 0–50 is Good and 51–100 is Moderate. Lower values mean cleaner air.

How to read this ranking

AQI varies by season and wildfire activity. These averages smooth daily spikes but a single bad-air season can shift a city year to year.

Other City Rankings

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