Salem City, Virginia Air Quality
Salem City County, Virginia (VA)
↓ Improvingover 10 years
10-Year AQI Trend
The solid line shows the median AQI each year. The dashed line shows the 90th percentile (worst 10% of days). This area has seen measurable air quality improvement over the decade.
Air Quality Day Breakdown
Number of days per year in each EPA AQI category. Green = Good (AQI 0-50), Yellow = Moderate (51-100), Orange = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Red = Unhealthy or worse (151+).
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Median AQI | 90th Pct | Max AQI | Good Days | Moderate | Unhealthy+ | Pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36 | 61 | 146 | 87 | 32 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 33 | 54 | 66 | 98 | 23 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 35 | 55 | 91 | 95 | 25 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 53 | 69 | 94 | 16 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2019 | 34 | 54 | 65 | 90 | 28 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2018 | 35 | 56 | 75 | 88 | 25 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2017 | 37 | 55 | 69 | 81 | 31 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2016 | 41 | 56 | 70 | 77 | 37 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2015 | 42 | 60 | 92 | 74 | 44 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2014 | 43 | 59 | 67 | 70 | 50 | 0 | PM2.5 |
What This Means for Salem City County Residents
Salem City, Virginia has received an Air Quality Grade of B (76/100) based on a decade of EPA monitoring data. The current median AQI of 36 falls in the "Good" range.
Encouragingly, air quality here has been improving, with the median AQI dropping by 7 points over the monitoring period. This trend suggests continued investment in emission controls and cleaner energy.
The primary pollutant affecting this area is Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). Over the past 5 years, this area has averaged 0 unhealthy air quality days per year — days when sensitive groups (children, elderly, those with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor activity.