Median AQI
43
Good
California · County air quality · 2025
Madera County, California
Median AQI 43 (Good). 69.2% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 43
- Median AQI
- 69.2%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 30%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Madera County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 43 with 69.2% of 120 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 43
- median AQI · Good
- 69.2%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 30%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 91.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 83 d · 69.2%
- Moderate · 37 d · 30.8%
How did Madera County's air break down in 2025?
Across 120 monitored days, 83 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 91 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 120 days monitored. Median AQI: 43 (Good).
Insights: Madera County, California. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 43 across 120 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 83 (69%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 37 (31%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 66, while the worst single-day peak hit 91 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 20.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (64 days), PM2.5 (56 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -21 and the median AQI moved -21 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 91, moderate 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); El Dorado (85.8% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
69.2%
83 of 120 monitored days
-5.8pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
91
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 66
Madera County, Good days share 69.2%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Madera 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 120 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
83
69%
Moderate
37
31%
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 Madera County.
- Ozone · 64 days · 53.3%
- PM2.5 · 56 days · 46.7%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Madera County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 69.2% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 69.2% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 43. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 64 of 120 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Madera County. Best year: 2024 (163 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 104 | 209 | 34 | 15 | 64 | 275 |
| 2021 | 133 | 197 | 28 | 7 | 58 | 194 |
| 2022 | 147 | 205 | 13 | 0 | 54 | 136 |
| 2023 | 162 | 188 | 14 | 1 | 52 | 151 |
| 2024 | 163 | 178 | 25 | 0 | 52 | 140 |
| 2025 | 83 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 91 |
How does Madera County compare?
How Madera County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Madera County 69.2%
Amador County, California 84.8%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Madera County 43
Amador County, California 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Madera 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 Madera County.
Allegan County, Michigan
AQI 43 · 71.2% good
Allen County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 65.9% good
Ashtabula County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 81.2% good
Bell County, Kentucky
AQI 43 · 63.5% good
Boise County, Idaho
AQI 43 · 72.9% good
Brazos County, Texas
AQI 43 · 63.4% good
What Madera 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 43 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Madera County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Madera County with its California neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of California
Based on 120 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 Madera County, California? ▼
Madera County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 69.2% of monitored days (83 out of 120) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Madera County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Madera County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 64 days (53% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Madera County have? ▼
In 2025, Madera County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 91.
Is the air quality in Madera County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Madera County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 163 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 83 good days.
What does AQI 43 mean for health? ▼
Madera County's median AQI of 43 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 Madera County compare to other counties in California? ▼
Madera County has 69.2% 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), El Dorado (85.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Madera County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Madera County is 66, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 91 (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.