Indiana · County air quality · 2025

Knox County, Indiana

Median AQI 38 (Good). 93.1% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

38
Median AQI
93.1%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
84%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Knox County's air is good on balance, cleaner than most US counties, a median AQI of 38 with 93.1% of 231 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

38
median AQI · Good
93.1%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
84%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 93.

Data updated July 2026

Knox 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 231 monitored days G Median AQI 38 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Knox County
  • Good · 215 d · 93.1%
  • Moderate · 16 d · 6.9%

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

Across 231 monitored days, 215 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 93 (Moderate).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 231 days monitored. Median AQI: 38 (Good).

Insights: Knox County, Indiana. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 38 across 231 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 215 (93%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 16 (7%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 49, while the worst single-day peak hit 93 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 27.9 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (231 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -113 and the median AQI moved +5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 93, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Allen (58.2% good, AQI 45); Bartholomew (69.2% good, AQI 44); Boone (86.9% good, AQI 38); Brown (94.5% good, AQI 37); Carroll (87.8% good, AQI 37); Clark (59.7% good, AQI 46).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

38

Good

Good Days

93.1%

215 of 231 monitored days

18.1pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

93

Moderate

Health Grade

Excellent

90th-pct AQI 49

Knox County, Good days share 93.1%
National avg

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

Knox 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 231 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

215

93%

Moderate

16

7%

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 Knox County.

Knox County, Indiana 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 · 100.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Knox County, Indiana · 231 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 231 days · 100.0%
Ozone (O3) 231 days (100%)

How Ozone affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Excellent

Knox County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 93.1% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 93.1% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 38. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 231 of 231 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is stable in Knox County. Best year: 2020 (328 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 328 22 1 0 33
2021 320 38 2 0 36
2022 321 23 0 0 36
2023 313 43 8 0 39
2024 314 46 0 0 38
2025 215 16 0 0 38

How does Knox County compare?

How Knox County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Knox County 93.1%
Allen County, Indiana 58.2%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI about average
Knox County 38
Allen County, Indiana 45
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Knox County 0
Allen County, Indiana 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Indiana

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Indiana.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Knox 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 38 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Knox County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Knox County with its Indiana neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Indiana

Based on 231 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 Knox County, Indiana?
Knox County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 38, rated "Good." 93.1% of monitored days (215 out of 231) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Knox County?
The primary pollutant in Knox County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 231 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Knox County have?
In 2025, Knox County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 93.
Is the air quality in Knox County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Knox County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 328 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 215 good days.
What does AQI 38 mean for health?
Knox County's median AQI of 38 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 Knox County compare to other counties in Indiana?
Knox County has 93.1% good air days. Nearby counties in Indiana: Allen (58.2% good), Bartholomew (69.2% good), Boone (86.9% good), Brown (94.5% good), Carroll (87.8% good), Clark (59.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Knox County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Knox County is 49, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 93 (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.