Air quality changes by the hour and by the block. A morning that feels clear can turn hazy by mid-afternoon as traffic builds, wind shifts, or smoke drifts in from a distant wildfire. Air Quality Near Me is a free, live map that shows the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for monitoring stations around your location, so you can see what you are actually breathing right now instead of guessing.
The map pulls real-time readings from the World Air Quality Index project, which aggregates data from thousands of government and reference-grade monitoring stations worldwide. Each station is color-coded on the familiar US EPA scale — green for good, yellow for moderate, orange and red as conditions worsen — and tapping any station opens a detail panel with the dominant pollutant and concentrations for PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
It is built for anyone who needs to make a quick call about going outside: runners and cyclists timing a workout, parents deciding whether the kids should play outdoors, people with asthma or heart conditions, and anyone living near wildfire smoke or heavy traffic. No account, no sign-up — open it, allow location (or search a city), and read the number.
How to use it
- Tap the location pin (or allow location access when prompted) to center the map on where you are.
- Or type any city, suburb, or landmark into the search box to jump there.
- Read the colored markers — the number is the current AQI, and the color tells you the health band at a glance.
- Tap any station to open the detail card with the dominant pollutant, individual pollutant levels, and health guidance.
- Pan or zoom the map to load stations in a new area. Readings refresh automatically every 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is AQI and how do I read it?
AQI (Air Quality Index) converts pollutant concentrations into a single 0–500+ scale. Lower is better. 0–50 (green) is good, 51–100 (yellow) is moderate, 101–150 (orange) is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 (red) is unhealthy for everyone, 201–300 (purple) is very unhealthy, and 301+ (maroon) is hazardous. The color on each map marker matches this scale.
Where does the air quality data come from?
Readings come from the World Air Quality Index (WAQI / aqicn.org) project, which standardizes data from official government and reference-grade monitoring networks around the world. The number you see reflects the most recent reading reported by the nearest station.
How current is the reading?
Stations typically report hourly, and the map refreshes the visible area automatically about every 10 minutes. Each station detail card shows the timestamp of its latest update so you know how fresh the reading is.
Why is the nearest station some distance away?
Monitoring stations are not on every street — coverage is denser in cities and sparser in rural areas. The map shows the closest reporting stations, which gives a reliable picture of regional air quality even if the nearest one is a few miles off.
What is PM2.5 and why does it matter most?
PM2.5 is fine particulate matter under 2.5 microns — small enough to reach deep into the lungs and the bloodstream. It is the pollutant most often responsible for high AQI readings during wildfire smoke and heavy traffic, which is why it is frequently the “dominant pollutant” flagged on the detail card.
Is it safe to exercise outside today?
As a rule of thumb: under 50 is fine for everyone; 51–100 is generally okay but unusually sensitive people may want to ease up; 101–150 means sensitive groups should cut back on prolonged outdoor exertion; and above 150 most people should reduce or reschedule intense outdoor activity. The detail card gives tailored guidance for sensitive groups.
Do I need to allow location access?
No. Location access just centers the map on you for convenience. You can skip it and search for any city or place instead. Location is never stored.
Is the tool free?
Yes, completely free with no account required. Open the map, check your air, and close it whenever you like.