Carleton, Michigan Air Quality
Carleton air quality today — the AQI, the main pollutant, and whether it’s safe to exercise outside right now
Carleton, MI · Air quality right now
The air quality index in Carleton, MI is 51 (Moderate) right now — acceptable for most people.
Is it safe to be outside in Carleton today?
AQI 51 Yes — air quality is Moderate
Fine for most; unusually sensitive people can take it easy.Main pollutant: PM2.5Observed 12:00 AM EDT
Pollutants right now
- PM2.55.7 µg/m³Main pollutantfine particles — smoke, exhaust, soot
- PM105.8 µg/m³coarse particles — dust, pollen, ash
- Ozone67 µg/m³smog — builds on hot, sunny days
- NO₂8.2 µg/m³nitrogen dioxide — traffic, combustion
ExerciseOK to run for most; sensitive athletes can ease the intensity.
How to read Carleton’s air quality
Guides: The AQI Scale, Explained · Air Quality Alerts, Decoded · How to Read a Wildfire Smoke Map · Why Wildfire Smoke Travels 1,000 Miles.
Air quality over time in Carleton
Across the EPA’s county records from 2020 to 2024, Carleton’s cleanest year was 2020 (median AQI 17) and its most polluted was 2022 (median AQI 26); the typical (median) day has trended more polluted since 2020.
| Year | Median AQI | Unhealthy+ | Main pollutant | USG | Moderate | Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 17 | 0 | PM10 | 0 | 3 | 58 |
| 2021 | 19 | 0 | PM10 | 0 | 4 | 57 |
| 2022 | 26 | 1 | PM10 | 1 | 8 | 51 |
| 2023 | 25 | 0 | PM10 | 0 | 6 | 59 |
| 2024 | 18 | 0 | PM10 | 0 | 3 | 56 |
“USG” is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (AQI 101–150); “Unhealthy+” combines the Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous days. In 2024 the EPA tightened the annual fine-particle (PM2.5) standard to 9 µg/m³ from the previous 12 µg/m³, so counties near the old limit read worse against the new one. Source: EPA AQS annual summaries, 2020–2024.
Frequently asked
- What was the worst year for air quality in Carleton?
- In the EPA's 2020–2024 county records, 2022 had the most days above AQI 100: 2 days (1 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 1 Unhealthy or worse). It also had the highest median AQI, 26.
- How many unhealthy air days does Carleton have?
- Across 2020–2024, under 1% of the days reported for Carleton's county had an AQI above 100 (2 of 307), fewer than one a year on average. 2024 had 0 days.
- What's the main air pollutant in Carleton?
- PM10: it drove Carleton's county AQI on the most days in every year of the EPA's 2020–2024 records.