Median AQI
42
Good
Alabama · County air quality · 2025
Madison County, Alabama
Median AQI 42 (Good). 75.1% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 75.1%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 41%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Madison County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 42 with 75.1% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 75.1%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 41%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 72.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 136 d · 75.1%
- Moderate · 45 d · 24.9%
How did Madison County's air break down in 2025?
Across 181 monitored days, 136 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 72 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 42 (Good).
Insights: Madison County, Alabama. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 42 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 136 (75%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 45 (25%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 56, while the worst single-day peak hit 72 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 22.5 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (115 days), Ozone (66 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -74 and the median AQI moved -5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 72, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Baldwin (72.2% good, AQI 42); Clay (85.4% good, AQI 32); DeKalb (78.6% good, AQI 42); Elmore (97.2% good, AQI 32); Etowah (63.5% good, AQI 45); Jefferson (36.8% good, AQI 53).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
75.1%
136 of 181 monitored days
0.1pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
72
Moderate
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 56
Madison County, Good days share 75.1%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Madison County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 0.0%
National avg
Share of monitored days above AQI 150 (Unhealthy or worse). Bar maxes at 10% (worst-county ceiling).
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 181 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
136
75%
Moderate
45
25%
USG
0
0%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Madison County.
- PM2.5 · 115 days · 63.5%
- Ozone · 66 days · 36.5%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Madison County's air quality is rated Good based on 75.1% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 75.1% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 42. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 115 of 181 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Madison County. Best year: 2024 (254 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 210 | 154 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 89 |
| 2021 | 189 | 166 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 105 |
| 2022 | 201 | 164 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 97 |
| 2023 | 204 | 157 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 135 |
| 2024 | 254 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 100 |
| 2025 | 136 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 72 |
How does Madison County compare?
How Madison County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Madison County 75.1%
Baldwin County, Alabama 72.2%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Madison County 42
Baldwin County, Alabama 42
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Madison County 0
Baldwin County, Alabama 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Alabama
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Alabama.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Madison County.
Adams County, Pennsylvania
AQI 42 · 73.8% good
Anderson County, Tennessee
AQI 42 · 91.0% good
Andrew County, Missouri
AQI 42 · 84.3% good
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
AQI 42 · 68.1% good
Baldwin County, Alabama
AQI 42 · 72.2% good
Belmont County, Ohio
AQI 42 · 63.0% good
What Madison County's air means for you
The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with PM2.5 the main thing to watch.
- Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-PM2.5 days, the guide explains what a median of 42 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Madison County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Madison County with its Alabama neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Alabama
Based on 181 EPA-monitored days in 2025; figures reflect only days the monitors reported. Source: EPA Air Quality System annual summaries.
More Air Quality Data
Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in Madison County, Alabama? ▼
Madison County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 42, rated "Good." 75.1% of monitored days (136 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Madison County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Madison County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 115 days (64% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Madison County have? ▼
In 2025, Madison County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 72.
Is the air quality in Madison County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Madison County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 254 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 136 good days.
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
Madison County's median AQI of 42 falls in the "Good" category. See the <a href="/guides/understanding-aqi" class="underline">AQI category guide</a> for what each range means for health.
How does Madison County compare to other counties in Alabama? ▼
Madison County has 75.1% good air days. Nearby counties in Alabama: Baldwin (72.2% good), Clay (85.4% good), DeKalb (78.6% good), Elmore (97.2% good), Etowah (63.5% good), Jefferson (36.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Madison County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Madison County is 56, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 72 (Moderate).
Data Sources
Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by County dataset, 2020–2025 (aqs.epa.gov). For current conditions (not shown here — this page is historical annual data), see EPA AirNow (airnow.gov). See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.
Informational only, not professional advice. Data from EPA AQS. See our disclaimer.
Every figure on PlainAir is rendered directly from EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.