Ramsey, Minnesota 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, Ramsey, Minnesota's most recent EPA year (2023) posted a median AQI of 49 (Good) against a 5-year median of 41 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 Ramsey, Minnesota
AirHistory is built on 10 years of EPA Air Quality System records, so it shows you what air quality in Ramsey, Minnesota 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, Ramsey, Minnesota posted a median AQI of 49 (Good), with 188 "Good" days and 10 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.
Ramsey, Minnesota Air Quality Snapshot
| Air Quality Grade | B66/100 |
| 5-Year Median AQI | 41 (Good) |
| Most Recent Median AQI (2023) | 49 (Good) |
| Dominant Pollutant | Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) |
| 10-Year Trend | Improving (-0.30 AQI/yr) |
| Unhealthy Days (last 5 yr) | 14 |
| National Rank (cleanest = #1) | #525 of 1,020 (51th most polluted percentile) |
| Minnesota Rank | #16 of 21 |
What Does the B Grade Mean?
Ramsey, Minnesota 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 41. Sensitive groups will see occasional caution days, but the typical resident will not need to change behavior based on air quality.
Ramsey, Minnesota's 5-year median AQI of 41 is right around the national average of 41 across the 1,020 monitored U.S. cities tracked here. Within Minnesota, Ramsey, Minnesota runs more polluted than the state average of 36 — local sources or geography are concentrating pollution above the state's typical reading.
For context within Minnesota: Cook, Minnesota currently holds the state's cleanest grade (A, AQI 12), while Cass, Minnesota sits at the bottom (C, AQI 32).
What's in Ramsey, Minnesota's Air?
The dominant pollutant in Ramsey, Minnesota 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) | 352 | 96% |
| Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10) | 13 | 4% |
Is the Air Getting Better or Worse?
Air quality in Ramsey, Minnesota has been improving over the past decade, with median AQI dropping by roughly 0.3 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, Ramsey, Minnesota posted a median AQI of 48. By 2023 that figure was 49 — a rise of 1 AQI points dirtier across 10 years of EPA records.
Year-by-Year AQI in Ramsey, Minnesota
| Year | Median AQI | Good Days | Unhealthy Days | Dominant Pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 48 | 192 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2015 | 44 | 215 | 2 | PM2.5 |
| 2016 | 38 | 271 | 2 | PM2.5 |
| 2017 | 41 | 246 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2018 | 44 | 217 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2019 | 39 | 246 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 40 | 252 | 1 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 39 | 252 | 3 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 36 | 267 | 0 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 49 | 188 | 10 | PM2.5 |
Health Context for Ramsey, Minnesota
Across the past five years, this area has logged just 14 days where AQI rose into the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range or worse — about 3 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 Ramsey, Minnesota
Ramsey, Minnesota has an Air Quality Grade of B (good) with a 5-year median AQI of 41. 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.
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.