California · County air quality · 2025

El Dorado County, California

Median AQI 39 (Good). 85.8% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

39
Median AQI
85.8%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
68%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, El Dorado County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 39 with 85.8% of 212 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

39
median AQI · Good
85.8%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
68%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 115.

Data updated July 2026

El Dorado County AQI category distribution Stacked-segment bar showing the share of monitored days that fell in each EPA AQI category, Good, Moderate, USG, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, Hazardous, with median AQI marker. AQI category distribution 212 monitored days G M Median AQI 39 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 El Dorado County
  • Good · 182 d · 85.8%
  • Moderate · 29 d · 13.7%
  • USG · 1 d · 0.5%

How did El Dorado County's air break down in 2025?

Across 212 monitored days, 182 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 115 (USG).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 212 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).

Insights: El Dorado County, California. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 212 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 182 (86%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 29 (14%) registered Moderate readings, and 1 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 58, while the worst single-day peak hit 115 (USG). Residents averaged about 25.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (211 days), PM10 (1 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -74 and the median AQI moved -4 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 115, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Amador (84.8% good, AQI 40); Butte (66.1% good, AQI 47); Calaveras (73.9% good, AQI 43); Colusa (84.9% good, AQI 39); Del Norte (81.0% good, AQI 33); Fresno (40.1% good, AQI 54).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

39

Good

Good Days

85.8%

182 of 212 monitored days

10.8pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

115

USG

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 58

El Dorado County, Good days share 85.8%
National avg

Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).

El Dorado 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 212 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

182

86%

Moderate

29

14%

USG

1

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 El Dorado County.

El Dorado County, California criteria pollutant distribution Stratified-band visualization showing the share of monitored days each criteria pollutant (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, CO) was the primary AQI driver. Ozone · 99.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% El Dorado County, California · 212 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 211 days · 99.5%
  • PM10 · 1 days · 0.5%
Ozone (O3) 211 days (100%)

How Ozone affects health →

Coarse Particles (PM10) 1 days (0%)

How PM10 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

El Dorado County's air quality is rated Good based on 85.8% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 85.8% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 39. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 211 of 212 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in El Dorado County. Best year: 2024 (261 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 256 87 17 6 43
2021 247 96 16 4 43
2022 258 93 12 2 43
2023 259 101 5 0 44
2024 261 97 8 0 44
2025 182 29 1 0 39

How does El Dorado County compare?

How El Dorado County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
El Dorado County 85.8%
Amador County, California 84.8%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
El Dorado County 39
Amador County, California 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
El Dorado County 0
Amador County, California 0
US average 0

Other Counties in California

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in California.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to El Dorado County.

What El Dorado County's air means for you

The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with Ozone the main thing to watch.

  • Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-Ozone days, the guide explains what a median of 39 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how El Dorado County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare El Dorado County with its California neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of California

Based on 212 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 El Dorado County, California?
El Dorado County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 85.8% of monitored days (182 out of 212) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in El Dorado County?
The primary pollutant in El Dorado County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 211 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does El Dorado County have?
In 2025, El Dorado County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 115.
Is the air quality in El Dorado County getting better or worse?
Air quality in El Dorado County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 261 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 182 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health?
El Dorado County's median AQI of 39 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 El Dorado County compare to other counties in California?
El Dorado County has 85.8% good air days. Nearby counties in California: Amador (84.8% good), Butte (66.1% good), Calaveras (73.9% good), Colusa (84.9% good), Del Norte (81.0% good), Fresno (40.1% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in El Dorado County?
The 90th percentile AQI for El Dorado County is 58, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 115 (USG).

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.