Which county in New York has the best air quality?

Based on 2024 EPA AQS data, Oneida County had the best air quality in New York with a median AQI of 27 and 300 good-air days.

2024 monitoring year Public dataset EPA AQS

New York Air Quality Rankings

Compiled by PlainEnviro Editorial, Environmental Data Editorial Team · July 13, 2026

County-level AQI rollup using EPA Air Quality System monitor records. Refreshed as new EPA AQS data lands.

PlainEnviro home → About this data

County-by-county air quality data for New York based on EPA AQS annual AQI readings. Data covers 27 monitored counties for 2024.

New York (2024): 27 counties monitored. State average median AQI: 36 (national average: 38.8). 84% of monitored days rated "Good." Most unhealthy air: Dutchess County (1 days above AQI 100).

New York air quality on this page is drawn from the EPA Air Quality System (AQS), which aggregates daily readings from federal, state, tribal, and local monitors into annual summaries per county. The current dataset covers 27 New York counties with at least ten days of valid AQI readings in 2024, out of the state's total monitored counties.

The state-average median AQI across those counties is 36, compared with a national average of 38.8 in the same reporting period. On average, 84% of monitored days fell into the "Good" AQI bucket (0–50). The heaviest burden of unhealthy days lands on Dutchess County (1 day above AQI 100), while Oneida County records the cleanest air with a median AQI of 27.

AQI values translate ambient concentrations of pollutants (ozone, PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, SO₂, CO) onto a single 0–500 scale with six health-based bands. A low median AQI reflects typical daily conditions; peak values matter separately because short-term exposure drives most acute health effects. Counties without monitors are not "clean" - they are simply unmeasured by EPA AQS. For site-specific exposure guidance, check AirNow.gov alongside the county detail links below.

Counties with Data

State Avg Median AQI

National Avg Median AQI

38.8

Avg Good Days %

84%

Which New York counties have the worst air quality?

Ranked by median AQI (higher = worse). Click a county for full environmental data.

#	County	Median AQI	Good Days	Good %	Unhealthy Days	Peak AQI
1	Queens	45	224	61%	0	112
2	New York	43	241	66%	0	150
3	Erie	43	234	64%	0	105
4	Bronx	42	246	67%	0	150
5	Essex	41	310	85%	0	80
6	Kings	39	253	69%	0	98
7	Richmond	38	280	77%	0	140
8	Suffolk	38	291	80%	0	133
9	Monroe	38	271	74%	0	90
10	Rockland	37	308	84%	0	150
11	Steuben	37	321	88%	0	68
12	Westchester	36	302	83%	0	143
13	Albany	36	280	77%	0	105
14	Chautauqua	36	326	90%	0	105
15	Dutchess	35	338	92%	1	151
16	Onondaga	35	317	87%	0	84
17	Tompkins	35	340	97%	0	71
18	Niagara	34	277	92%	0	105
19	Putnam	33	335	93%	0	136
20	Wayne	33	339	96%	0	87
21	Hamilton	33	340	98%	0	74
22	Saratoga	32	334	96%	0	84
23	Oswego	32	353	98%	0	61
24	Jefferson	32	352	97%	0	80
25	Nassau	31	308	84%	0	71
26	Orange	28	297	85%	0	79
27	Oneida	27	300	86%	0	68

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality like in New York?

In 2024, New York had an average median AQI of 36 across 27 monitored counties, with 84% of monitored days rated "Good" (AQI 0–50). The national average median AQI is 38.8.

Which county in New York has the worst air quality?

Based on 2024 EPA AQS data, Dutchess County had the most unhealthy air days in New York - 1 days above AQI 100, with a median AQI of 35.

Explore More

National AQI Rankings → New York Full Profile → New York Water Quality →

About This Data

Air quality data is from the EPA Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by County dataset. Counties with fewer than 10 monitored days are excluded. "Unhealthy days" counts days with AQI above 100 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse). All data is for 2024.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (AQS) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (AQS)

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Browse all → | Rankings →

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial