Alexandria City, Virginia Air Quality Today
AirHistory tracks long-run EPA monitoring rather than live readings, so for the live number check AirNow.gov below. As a baseline, Alexandria City, Virginia's most recent EPA year (2021) posted a median AQI of 6 (Good) against a 5-year median of 6 and an overall Grade of A. The dominant pollutant is Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10), which tells you which days are most likely to spike.
Check Today's Live AQI in Alexandria City, Virginia
AirHistory is built on 10 years of EPA Air Quality System records, so it shows you what air quality in Alexandria City, Virginia typically looks like — not the live reading for this exact hour. For today's real-time AQI, check AirNow.gov (the EPA's official live index) or the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map during wildfire season.
That said, the history is the best predictor of a normal day. In 2021, Alexandria City, Virginia posted a median AQI of 6 (Good), with 15 "Good" days and 0 days that crossed into "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" or worse. The dominant pollutant, Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10), is the one most likely to push today's number up — Coarse particulate matter — particles up to 10 micrometers across — typically comes from dust, construction sites, agriculture, unpaved roads, and natural sources like windblown soil. PM10 is less hazardous than PM2.5 because the larger particles do not penetrate as deeply into the lungs, but high levels still aggravate asthma and irritate airways.
Alexandria City, Virginia Air Quality Snapshot
| Air Quality Grade | A96/100 |
| 5-Year Median AQI | 6 (Good) |
| Most Recent Median AQI (2021) | 6 (Good) |
| Dominant Pollutant | Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10) |
| 10-Year Trend | Improving (-2.47 AQI/yr) |
| Unhealthy Days (last 5 yr) | 0 |
| Virginia Rank | #1 of 32 |
What Does the A Grade Mean?
Alexandria City, Virginia earns an A — it is among the cleanest U.S. cities tracked by EPA monitoring, with median AQI averaging just 6 over the past five years. Days in the "Good" category dominate the calendar; air-quality alerts are rare.
Alexandria City, Virginia's 5-year median AQI of 6 is 36 points below the national average of 41 — meaningfully cleaner than the typical U.S. metro tracked here. Within Virginia, Alexandria City, Virginia runs cleaner than the state average of 33 — a positive signal that local conditions (terrain, wind patterns, emission sources) are working in residents' favor.
For context within Virginia: Hopewell City, Virginia currently holds the state's cleanest grade (A, AQI 7), while Richmond City, Virginia sits at the bottom (C, AQI 42).
What's in Alexandria City, Virginia's Air?
The dominant pollutant in Alexandria City, Virginia is Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10). Coarse particulate matter — particles up to 10 micrometers across — typically comes from dust, construction sites, agriculture, unpaved roads, and natural sources like windblown soil. PM10 is less hazardous than PM2.5 because the larger particles do not penetrate as deeply into the lungs, but high levels still aggravate asthma and irritate airways.
Days by Dominant Pollutant (2021)
| Pollutant | Days as Dominant | Share of Year |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10) | 15 | 100% |
Is the Air Getting Better or Worse?
Air quality in Alexandria City, Virginia has been improving over the past decade, with median AQI dropping by roughly 2.5 points per year. That is consistent with the broader national pattern — most U.S. metros have seen steady reductions in particulate and ozone pollution since the 2010s as cleaner vehicles and power plants come online.
In 2014, Alexandria City, Virginia posted a median AQI of 19. By 2021 that figure was 6 — a drop of 13 AQI points cleaner across 7 years of EPA records.
Year-by-Year AQI in Alexandria City, Virginia
| Year | Median AQI | Good Days | Unhealthy Days | Dominant Pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 19 | 360 | 0 | NO2 |
| 2015 | 23 | 337 | 0 | NO2 |
| 2016 | 12 | 174 | 1 | PM10 |
| 2017 | 7 | 105 | 0 | PM10 |
| 2018 | 6 | 78 | 0 | PM10 |
| 2019 | 5 | 109 | 0 | PM10 |
| 2021 | 6 | 15 | 0 | PM10 |
Health Context for Alexandria City, Virginia
Across the past five years, this area has logged just 0 days where AQI rose into the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range or worse — about 0 days per year, or roughly one every other month. That is a low count by national standards.
For most healthy adults, current air quality in this area does not require any change in behavior. People with severe asthma, COPD, or recent cardiac events should still keep an eye on daily AQI alerts, especially during wildfire season. PM10 is largely a near-source pollutant — staying upwind of busy roads, construction, and unpaved areas can substantially reduce exposure.
How This Grade Is Calculated
The AirHistory Air Quality Grade combines four signals: the 5-year median AQI (40% of the score), the 10-year trend direction (30%), the count of unhealthy days per year (20%), and the dominant pollutant type (10%). All four come directly from the EPA Air Quality System (AQS), which aggregates readings from federally certified monitors. Read the full methodology.
More about Alexandria City, Virginia
Alexandria City, Virginia has an Air Quality Grade of A (excellent) with a 5-year median AQI of 6. The dominant pollutant is Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10), and air quality has been improving over the past decade.
The data source behind this answer is the EPA Air Quality System (AQS). Every figure on the page traces back to that source; the methodology page describes the inputs and the refresh cadence in full detail.
A practical caveat: the headline answer above reflects the most recent the EPA Air Quality System (AQS) vintage; underlying data is often revised for months after first publication, and the right reference for any specific decision is whichever vintage is current at the time of the decision. The as-of date is stamped on every page.
Source: EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data, 2026.