Providence, Rhode Island 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, Providence, Rhode Island's most recent EPA year (2023) posted a median AQI of 46 (Good) against a 5-year median of 45 and an overall Grade of B. The dominant pollutant is Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), which tells you which days are most likely to spike.
Check Today's Live AQI in Providence, Rhode Island
AirHistory is built on 10 years of EPA Air Quality System records, so it shows you what air quality in Providence, Rhode Island 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 2023, Providence, Rhode Island posted a median AQI of 46 (Good), with 217 "Good" days and 4 days that crossed into "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" or worse. The dominant pollutant, Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), is the one most likely to push today's number up — Fine particulate matter — particles less than 2.5 micrometers across — comes mostly from combustion: vehicle exhaust, wildfire smoke, residential wood burning, and industrial emissions. Because these particles are small enough to enter the bloodstream, PM2.5 is the pollutant most strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and premature death.
Providence, Rhode Island Air Quality Snapshot
| Air Quality Grade | B66/100 |
| 5-Year Median AQI | 45 (Good) |
| Most Recent Median AQI (2023) | 46 (Good) |
| Dominant Pollutant | Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) |
| 10-Year Trend | Improving (-0.56 AQI/yr) |
| Unhealthy Days (last 5 yr) | 11 |
| National Rank (cleanest = #1) | #765 of 1,020 (75th most polluted percentile) |
| Rhode Island Rank | #3 of 3 |
What Does the B Grade Mean?
Providence, Rhode Island earns a B — air quality is reliably in the safe range for most residents most of the time, with a 5-year median AQI of 45. Sensitive groups will see occasional caution days, but the typical resident will not need to change behavior based on air quality.
Providence, Rhode Island's 5-year median AQI of 45 is 4 points above the national average of 41 — meaningfully more polluted than the typical U.S. metro tracked here. Within Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island runs more polluted than the state average of 39 — local sources or geography are concentrating pollution above the state's typical reading.
For context within Rhode Island: Kent, Rhode Island currently holds the state's cleanest grade (B, AQI 35), while Washington, Rhode Island sits at the bottom (B, AQI 37).
What's in Providence, Rhode Island's Air?
The dominant pollutant in Providence, Rhode Island is Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). Fine particulate matter — particles less than 2.5 micrometers across — comes mostly from combustion: vehicle exhaust, wildfire smoke, residential wood burning, and industrial emissions. Because these particles are small enough to enter the bloodstream, PM2.5 is the pollutant most strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and premature death.
Days by Dominant Pollutant (2023)
| Pollutant | Days as Dominant | Share of Year |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) | 240 | 66% |
| Ground-Level Ozone | 123 | 34% |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | 2 | 1% |
Is the Air Getting Better or Worse?
Air quality in Providence, Rhode Island has been improving over the past decade, with median AQI dropping by roughly 0.6 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, Providence, Rhode Island posted a median AQI of 47. By 2023 that figure was 46 — a drop of 1 AQI points cleaner across 10 years of EPA records.
Year-by-Year AQI in Providence, Rhode Island
| Year | Median AQI | Good Days | Unhealthy Days | Dominant Pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 47 | 202 | 2 | PM2.5 |
| 2015 | 52 | 173 | 5 | PM2.5 |
| 2016 | 49 | 190 | 4 | PM2.5 |
| 2017 | 45 | 225 | 4 | PM2.5 |
| 2018 | 47 | 212 | 8 | PM2.5 |
| 2019 | 46 | 222 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 45 | 226 | 2 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 45 | 219 | 4 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 43 | 263 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 46 | 217 | 4 | PM2.5 |
Health Context for Providence, Rhode Island
Across the past five years, this area has logged just 11 days where AQI rose into the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range or worse — about 2 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. Because PM2.5 penetrates deep into the lungs and bloodstream, an N95 or KN95 mask provides meaningful protection on smoky or high-particulate days — surgical masks do not.
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 Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island has an Air Quality Grade of B (good) with a 5-year median AQI of 45. The dominant pollutant is Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), 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.
For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying the EPA Air Quality System (AQS) record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.
Source: EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data, 2026.