What Is the Air Quality in Norfolk City, Virginia?

Norfolk City, Virginia earns an A — it is among the cleanest U.S. cities tracked by EPA monitoring, with median AQI averaging just 18 over the past five years. Days in the "Good" category dominate the calendar; air-quality alerts are rare.

Norfolk City, Virginia's 5-year median AQI of 18 is 23 points below the national average of 41 — meaningfully cleaner than the typical U.S. metro tracked here. Within Virginia, Norfolk 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: Alexandria City, Virginia currently holds the state's cleanest grade (A, AQI 6), while Richmond City, Virginia sits at the bottom (C, AQI 42).

Air quality in Norfolk City, Virginia has been improving over the past decade, with median AQI dropping by roughly 0.4 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, Norfolk City, Virginia posted a median AQI of 22. By 2023 that figure was 18 — a drop of 4 AQI points cleaner across 10 years of EPA records.

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. NO2 concentrations drop quickly as you move away from traffic. Walking or biking on residential streets rather than along major arterials can cut personal exposure in half.