Median AQI
41
Good
Iowa · County air quality · 2025
Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Median AQI 41 (Good). 71.1% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 41
- Median AQI
- 71.1%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 33%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Pottawattamie County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 41 with 71.1% of 90 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 41
- median AQI · Good
- 71.1%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 33%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 87.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 64 d · 71.1%
- Moderate · 26 d · 28.9%
How did Pottawattamie County's air break down in 2025?
Across 90 monitored days, 64 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). 90 days monitored. Median AQI: 41 (Good).
Insights: Pottawattamie County, Iowa. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 41 across 90 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 64 (71%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 26 (29%) 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 21.3 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (90 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -21 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: Black Hawk (56.6% good, AQI 48); Bremer (87.1% good, AQI 38); Clinton (59.9% good, AQI 45); Harrison (83.0% good, AQI 39); Johnson (71.0% good, AQI 36); Linn (61.2% good, AQI 44).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
71.1%
64 of 90 monitored days
-3.9pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
87
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 58
Pottawattamie County, Good days share 71.1%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Pottawattamie 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 90 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
64
71%
Moderate
26
29%
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 Pottawattamie County.
- PM2.5 · 90 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Pottawattamie County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 71.1% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 71.1% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 41. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 90 of 90 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Pottawattamie County. Best year: 2022 (91 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 85 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 80 |
| 2021 | 83 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 117 |
| 2022 | 91 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 72 |
| 2023 | 64 | 57 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 151 |
| 2024 | 77 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 75 |
| 2025 | 64 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 87 |
How does Pottawattamie County compare?
How Pottawattamie County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Pottawattamie County 71.1%
Black Hawk County, Iowa 56.6%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Pottawattamie County 41
Black Hawk County, Iowa 48
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Pottawattamie County 0
Black Hawk County, Iowa 1
US average 0
Other Counties in Iowa
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Iowa.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Pottawattamie County.
Albemarle County, Virginia
AQI 41 · 77.9% good
Anderson County, South Carolina
AQI 41 · 90.0% good
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
AQI 41 · 71.6% good
Berrien County, Michigan
AQI 41 · 80.9% good
Blair County, Pennsylvania
AQI 41 · 71.9% good
Bonner County, Idaho
AQI 41 · 71.3% good
What Pottawattamie 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 41 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Pottawattamie County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Pottawattamie County with its Iowa neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Iowa
Based on 90 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 Pottawattamie County, Iowa? ▼
Pottawattamie County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 41, rated "Good." 71.1% of monitored days (64 out of 90) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Pottawattamie County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Pottawattamie County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 90 days (100% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Pottawattamie County have? ▼
In 2025, Pottawattamie County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 87.
Is the air quality in Pottawattamie County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Pottawattamie County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 91 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 64 good days.
What does AQI 41 mean for health? ▼
Pottawattamie County's median AQI of 41 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 Pottawattamie County compare to other counties in Iowa? ▼
Pottawattamie County has 71.1% good air days. Nearby counties in Iowa: Black Hawk (56.6% good), Bremer (87.1% good), Clinton (59.9% good), Harrison (83.0% good), Johnson (71.0% good), Linn (61.2% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Pottawattamie County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Pottawattamie 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.