Median AQI
43
Good
Kentucky · County air quality · 2025
Bell County, Kentucky
Median AQI 43 (Good). 63.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 43
- Median AQI
- 63.5%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 20%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Bell County's air is good on balance, among the more polluted 10% of US counties, a median AQI of 43 with 63.5% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 43
- median AQI · Good
- 63.5%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 20%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 101.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 115 d · 63.5%
- Moderate · 65 d · 35.9%
- USG · 1 d · 0.6%
How did Bell County's air break down in 2025?
Across 181 monitored days, 115 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 101 (USG).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 43 (Good).
Insights: Bell County, Kentucky. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 43 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 115 (64%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 65 (36%) registered Moderate readings, and 1 (1%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 62, while the worst single-day peak hit 101 (USG). Residents averaged about 19.1 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (116 days), Ozone (65 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -127 and the median AQI moved +9 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 101, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Boone (95.1% good, AQI 38); Boyd (82.8% good, AQI 39); Bullitt (92.7% good, AQI 39); Campbell (78.5% good, AQI 39); Carter (89.8% good, AQI 36); Christian (78.3% good, AQI 41).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
63.5%
115 of 181 monitored days
-11.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
101
USG
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 62
Bell County, Good days share 63.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Bell 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 181 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
115
64%
Moderate
65
36%
USG
1
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 Bell County.
- PM2.5 · 116 days · 64.1%
- Ozone · 65 days · 35.9%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Bell County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 63.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 63.5% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 43. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 116 of 181 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Bell County. Best year: 2024 (244 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 242 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 74 |
| 2021 | 164 | 198 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 112 |
| 2022 | 197 | 168 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 91 |
| 2023 | 185 | 177 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 131 |
| 2024 | 244 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 88 |
| 2025 | 115 | 65 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 101 |
How does Bell County compare?
How Bell County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Bell County 63.5%
Boone County, Kentucky 95.1%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Bell County 43
Boone County, Kentucky 38
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Bell County 0
Boone County, Kentucky 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Kentucky
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Kentucky.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Bell County.
Allegan County, Michigan
AQI 43 · 71.2% good
Allen County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 65.9% good
Ashtabula County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 81.2% good
Boise County, Idaho
AQI 43 · 72.9% good
Brazos County, Texas
AQI 43 · 63.4% good
Broward County, Florida
AQI 43 · 72.4% good
What Bell 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 43 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Bell County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Bell County with its Kentucky neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Kentucky
Based on 181 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 Bell County, Kentucky? ▼
Bell County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 63.5% of monitored days (115 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Bell County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Bell County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 116 days (64% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Bell County have? ▼
In 2025, Bell County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 101.
Is the air quality in Bell County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Bell County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 244 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 115 good days.
What does AQI 43 mean for health? ▼
Bell County's median AQI of 43 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 Bell County compare to other counties in Kentucky? ▼
Bell County has 63.5% good air days. Nearby counties in Kentucky: Boone (95.1% good), Boyd (82.8% good), Bullitt (92.7% good), Campbell (78.5% good), Carter (89.8% good), Christian (78.3% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Bell County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Bell County is 62, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 101 (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.