Suffolk, Massachusetts Air Quality
Suffolk County, Massachusetts (MA)
↓ 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 | 44 | 62 | 99 | 231 | 134 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 41 | 60 | 112 | 261 | 102 | 2 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 44 | 61 | 145 | 237 | 125 | 3 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 45 | 57 | 84 | 229 | 137 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2019 | 46 | 58 | 87 | 224 | 141 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2018 | 53 | 65 | 108 | 119 | 245 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2017 | 56 | 70 | 119 | 98 | 264 | 3 | PM2.5 |
| 2016 | 51 | 66 | 90 | 180 | 186 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2015 | 53 | 64 | 126 | 141 | 223 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2014 | 53 | 65 | 85 | 122 | 243 | 0 | PM2.5 |
What This Means for Suffolk County Residents
Suffolk, Massachusetts has received an Air Quality Grade of B (74/100) based on a decade of EPA monitoring data. The current median AQI of 44 falls in the "Good" range.
Encouragingly, air quality here has been improving, with the median AQI dropping by 9 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 1 unhealthy air quality days per year — days when sensitive groups (children, elderly, those with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor activity.