Median AQI
39
Good
Kentucky · County air quality · 2025
McCracken County, Kentucky
Median AQI 39 (Good). 81.8% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 39
- Median AQI
- 81.8%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 57%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, McCracken County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 39 with 81.8% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 39
- median AQI · Good
- 81.8%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 57%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 82.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 148 d · 81.8%
- Moderate · 33 d · 18.2%
How did McCracken County's air break down in 2025?
Across 181 monitored days, 148 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 82 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).
Insights: McCracken County, Kentucky. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 148 (82%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 33 (18%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 54, while the worst single-day peak hit 82 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 24.5 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (101 days), Ozone (74 days), NO2 (6 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -91 and the median AQI moved -5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 82, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Bell (63.5% good, AQI 43); 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).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
81.8%
148 of 181 monitored days
6.8pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
82
Moderate
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 54
McCracken County, Good days share 81.8%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
McCracken 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
148
82%
Moderate
33
18%
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 McCracken County.
- PM2.5 · 101 days · 55.8%
- Ozone · 74 days · 40.9%
- NO₂ · 6 days · 3.3%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
McCracken County's air quality is rated Good based on 81.8% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 81.8% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 39. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 101 of 181 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in McCracken County. Best year: 2024 (269 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 239 | 126 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 111 |
| 2021 | 221 | 140 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 109 |
| 2022 | 217 | 125 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 143 |
| 2023 | 203 | 145 | 7 | 0 | 47 | 126 |
| 2024 | 269 | 93 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 101 |
| 2025 | 148 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 82 |
How does McCracken County compare?
How McCracken County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
McCracken County 81.8%
Bell County, Kentucky 63.5%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
McCracken County 39
Bell County, Kentucky 43
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
McCracken County 0
Bell 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 McCracken County.
Ada County, Idaho
AQI 39 · 80.6% good
Aiken County, South Carolina
AQI 39 · 89.1% good
Albany County, New York
AQI 39 · 67.4% good
Alexander County, North Carolina
AQI 39 · 92.4% good
Ashland County, Wisconsin
AQI 39 · 85.6% good
Bennington County, Vermont
AQI 39 · 82.9% good
What McCracken 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 39 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how McCracken County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare McCracken 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 McCracken County, Kentucky? ▼
McCracken County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 81.8% of monitored days (148 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in McCracken County? ▼
The primary pollutant in McCracken County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 101 days (56% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does McCracken County have? ▼
In 2025, McCracken County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 82.
Is the air quality in McCracken County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in McCracken County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 269 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 148 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health? ▼
McCracken County's median AQI of 39 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 McCracken County compare to other counties in Kentucky? ▼
McCracken County has 81.8% good air days. Nearby counties in Kentucky: Bell (63.5% good), Boone (95.1% good), Boyd (82.8% good), Bullitt (92.7% good), Campbell (78.5% good), Carter (89.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in McCracken County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for McCracken County is 54, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 82 (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.