Illinois · County air quality · 2025

Macoupin County, Illinois

Median AQI 37 (Good). 90.8% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

37
Median AQI
90.8%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
78%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Macoupin County's air is good on balance, cleaner than most US counties, a median AQI of 37 with 90.8% of 272 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

37
median AQI · Good
90.8%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
78%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 105.

Data updated July 2026

Macoupin 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 272 monitored days G Median AQI 37 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Macoupin County
  • Good · 247 d · 90.8%
  • Moderate · 24 d · 8.8%
  • USG · 1 d · 0.4%

How did Macoupin County's air break down in 2025?

Across 272 monitored days, 247 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 105 (USG).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 272 days monitored. Median AQI: 37 (Good).

Insights: Macoupin County, Illinois. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 37 across 272 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 247 (91%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 24 (9%) registered Moderate readings, and 1 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 49, while the worst single-day peak hit 105 (USG). Residents averaged about 27.2 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (209 days), NO2 (63 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -99 and the median AQI moved +6 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 105, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Adams (94.4% good, AQI 38); Champaign (63.7% good, AQI 44); Clark (92.1% good, AQI 36); Cook (40.5% good, AQI 53); DuPage (61.2% good, AQI 44); Effingham (95.7% good, AQI 35).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

37

Good

Good Days

90.8%

247 of 272 monitored days

15.8pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

105

USG

Health Grade

Excellent

90th-pct AQI 49

Macoupin County, Good days share 90.8%
National avg

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

Macoupin 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 272 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

247

91%

Moderate

24

9%

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 Macoupin County.

Macoupin County, Illinois 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 · 76.8% NO₂ · 23.2% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Macoupin County, Illinois · 272 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 209 days · 76.8%
  • NO₂ · 63 days · 23.2%
Ozone (O3) 209 days (77%)

How Ozone affects health →

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 63 days (23%)

How NO2 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Excellent

Macoupin County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 90.8% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 90.8% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 37. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 209 of 272 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Macoupin County. Best year: 2022 (352 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 346 18 0 0 31
2021 339 19 0 0 31
2022 352 9 2 0 33
2023 310 45 10 0 37
2024 342 23 1 0 35
2025 247 24 1 0 37

How does Macoupin County compare?

How Macoupin County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Macoupin County 90.8%
Adams County, Illinois 94.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI better than US avg
Macoupin County 37
Adams County, Illinois 38
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Macoupin County 0
Adams County, Illinois 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Illinois

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Illinois.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Macoupin 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 37 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Macoupin County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Macoupin County with its Illinois neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Illinois

Based on 272 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 Macoupin County, Illinois?
Macoupin County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 37, rated "Good." 90.8% of monitored days (247 out of 272) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Macoupin County?
The primary pollutant in Macoupin County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 209 days (77% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Macoupin County have?
In 2025, Macoupin County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 105.
Is the air quality in Macoupin County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Macoupin County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 352 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 247 good days.
What does AQI 37 mean for health?
Macoupin County's median AQI of 37 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 Macoupin County compare to other counties in Illinois?
Macoupin County has 90.8% good air days. Nearby counties in Illinois: Adams (94.4% good), Champaign (63.7% good), Clark (92.1% good), Cook (40.5% good), DuPage (61.2% good), Effingham (95.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Macoupin County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Macoupin County is 49, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 105 (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.