Median AQI
42
Good
Florida · County air quality · 2025
Palm Beach County, Florida
Median AQI 42 (Good). 71.8% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 71.8%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 35%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Palm Beach County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 42 with 71.8% of 273 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 71.8%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 35%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 87.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 196 d · 71.8%
- Moderate · 77 d · 28.2%
How did Palm Beach County's air break down in 2025?
Across 273 monitored days, 196 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 87 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 273 days monitored. Median AQI: 42 (Good).
Insights: Palm Beach County, Florida. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 42 across 273 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 196 (72%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 77 (28%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 58, while the worst single-day peak hit 87 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 21.5 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (182 days), Ozone (91 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -71 and the median AQI moved +0 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 87, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Alachua (90.1% good, AQI 37); Baker (69.1% good, AQI 45); Bay (60.6% good, AQI 46); Brevard (89.7% good, AQI 37); Broward (72.4% good, AQI 43); Citrus (67.8% good, AQI 44).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
71.8%
196 of 273 monitored days
-3.2pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
87
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 58
Palm Beach County, Good days share 71.8%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Palm Beach 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 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
196
72%
Moderate
77
28%
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 Palm Beach County.
- PM2.5 · 182 days · 66.7%
- Ozone · 91 days · 33.3%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Palm Beach County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 71.8% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 71.8% 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 182 of 273 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Palm Beach County. Best year: 2022 (275 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 267 | 94 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 93 |
| 2021 | 263 | 102 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 83 |
| 2022 | 275 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 90 |
| 2023 | 260 | 104 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 122 |
| 2024 | 257 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 76 |
| 2025 | 196 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 87 |
How does Palm Beach County compare?
How Palm Beach County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Palm Beach County 71.8%
Alachua County, Florida 90.1%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Palm Beach County 42
Alachua County, Florida 37
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Palm Beach County 0
Alachua County, Florida 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Florida
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Florida.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Palm Beach County with its Florida neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Florida
Based on 273 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 Palm Beach County, Florida? ▼
Palm Beach County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 42, rated "Good." 71.8% of monitored days (196 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Palm Beach County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Palm Beach County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 182 days (67% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Palm Beach County have? ▼
In 2025, Palm Beach County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 87.
Is the air quality in Palm Beach County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Palm Beach County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 275 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 196 good days.
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County compare to other counties in Florida? ▼
Palm Beach County has 71.8% good air days. Nearby counties in Florida: Alachua (90.1% good), Baker (69.1% good), Bay (60.6% good), Brevard (89.7% good), Broward (72.4% good), Citrus (67.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Palm Beach County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Palm Beach County is 58, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 87 (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.