Median AQI
48
Good
California · County air quality · 2025
Sacramento County, California
Median AQI 48 (Good). 58.9% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 48
- Median AQI
- 58.9%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 13%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Sacramento County's air is good on balance, among the more polluted 10% of US counties, a median AQI of 48 with 58.9% of 224 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 48
- median AQI · Good
- 58.9%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 13%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 122.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 132 d · 58.9%
- Moderate · 89 d · 39.7%
- USG · 3 d · 1.3%
How did Sacramento County's air break down in 2025?
Across 224 monitored days, 132 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 122 (USG).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 224 days monitored. Median AQI: 48 (Good).
Insights: Sacramento County, California. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 48 across 224 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 132 (59%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 89 (40%) registered Moderate readings, and 3 (1%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 71, while the worst single-day peak hit 122 (USG). Residents averaged about 17.7 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (129 days), PM2.5 (94 days), CO (1 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -13 and the median AQI moved -7 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 122, 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); El Dorado (85.8% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
58.9%
132 of 224 monitored days
-16.1pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
122
USG
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 71
Sacramento County, Good days share 58.9%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Sacramento 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 224 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
132
59%
Moderate
89
40%
USG
3
1%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Sacramento County.
- Ozone · 129 days · 57.6%
- PM2.5 · 94 days · 42.0%
- CO · 1 days · 0.4%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Sacramento County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 58.9% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 58.9% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 48. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 129 of 224 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Sacramento County. Best year: 2024 (182 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 145 | 185 | 17 | 16 | 55 | 226 |
| 2021 | 146 | 183 | 30 | 4 | 55 | 381 |
| 2022 | 162 | 184 | 17 | 2 | 53 | 164 |
| 2023 | 180 | 173 | 12 | 0 | 51 | 133 |
| 2024 | 182 | 169 | 15 | 0 | 51 | 140 |
| 2025 | 132 | 89 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 122 |
How does Sacramento County compare?
How Sacramento County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Sacramento County 58.9%
Amador County, California 84.8%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Sacramento County 48
Amador County, California 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Sacramento 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 Sacramento County.
Black Hawk County, Iowa
AQI 48 · 56.6% good
Box Elder County, Utah
AQI 48 · 60.0% good
Brookings County, South Dakota
AQI 48 · 53.0% good
Clear Creek County, Colorado
AQI 48 · 64.4% good
Coconino County, Arizona
AQI 48 · 62.5% good
Columbia County, Florida
AQI 48 · 56.4% good
What Sacramento 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 48 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Sacramento County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Sacramento County with its California neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of California
Based on 224 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 Sacramento County, California? ▼
Sacramento County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 48, rated "Good." 58.9% of monitored days (132 out of 224) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Sacramento County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Sacramento County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 129 days (58% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Sacramento County have? ▼
In 2025, Sacramento County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 122.
Is the air quality in Sacramento County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Sacramento County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 182 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 132 good days.
What does AQI 48 mean for health? ▼
Sacramento County's median AQI of 48 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 Sacramento County compare to other counties in California? ▼
Sacramento County has 58.9% 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 Sacramento County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Sacramento County is 71, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 122 (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.