PurpleAir Sensor Deployment Trends and Uncertainties

Low-cost air quality sensors, such as PurpleAir monitors, have rapidly expanded fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitoring across the United States, providing dense, hyper-local measurements. While prior research has focused largely on sensor accuracy and calibration, less is known about where these sensors are deployed and whether they persist long enough to support multi-year analyses relevant to exposure assessment and policy. Using publicly available PurpleAir data, we characterized the geographic distribution, deployment longevity, and persistence of outdoor sensors across the United States from 2016 to 2025. We quantified deployment duration as the time between first and last publicly available observations and summarized patterns nationally, by U.S. Census region, and by state. Most publicly shared sensors remained deployed for more than three years, indicating substantial potential for multi-year applications, particularly in the western United States, where sensor density and longevity were highest. As an illustrative component, we present descriptive summaries of PM2.5 concentrations in four high-coverage states (California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas) by deployment duration and urban-rural classification to demonstrate the types of analyses enabled by these networks. These results establish a national baseline of sensor availability and temporal continuity. By focusing on deployment patterns, this study provides foundational context for future exposure modeling, epidemiologic studies, and targeted expansion of community air quality monitoring networks.