Your Address Has an Air Quality Score. Here's How to Access It.

Content:

The EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) ranges from 0 (green) to 500 (maroon). Most people have seen it on a weather app.

But here's what most apps don't show:

• Historical AQI trends — is air quality improving or declining?
• Pollutant-specific data — PM2.5, ozone, NO2, SO2, CO, lead
• Health recommendations by pollutant and sensitivity level
• Proximity to major pollution sources — factories, highways, power plants

Air quality isn't uniform. Two addresses 5 miles apart can have AQI readings that differ by 30+ points. A highway, a factory, a power plant — all create micro-zones of poor air quality that city-wide averages miss.

We integrated EPA AirNow data into the ProtectMyZip API for any U.S. address:

• Current AQI and primary pollutant
• 24-hour PM2.5 average
• Ozone level (critical for respiratory health)
• Historical AQI (30-day, 90-day, 1-year averages)
• Nearest monitoring station distance
• Health recommendations based on sensitivity level

Cities with the worst air quality (2025 annual averages):

1. Fresno, CA — PM2.5: 14.2 μg/m³
2. Bakersfield, CA — PM2.5: 13.8 μg/m³
3. Visalia, CA — PM2.5: 12.9 μg/m³
4. Pittsburgh, PA — Ozone: 8.2-hour avg exceeds EPA standard
5. Salt Lake City, UT — Inversion trap effects in winter

Use cases beyond real estate:

• Health apps — correlate air quality with symptom tracking
• Corporate wellness — office location decisions
• School districts — outdoor activity recommendations
• Logistics — route planning avoiding high-pollution corridors

GET /api/hazards?address=555+Shaw+Rd,+Fresno,+CA
→ "air_quality": { "aqi": 156, "primary_pollutant": "PM2.5", "health_advisory": "unhealthy" }

🔗 check real-time air quality scores

Poll: Would you factor air quality into your home-buying decision? Or is it still a secondary concern for most buyers?