Median AQI
44
Good
Louisiana · County air quality · 2025
Orleans County, Louisiana
Median AQI 44 (Good). 66.4% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 44
- Median AQI
- 66.4%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 25%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Orleans County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 44 with 66.4% of 274 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 44
- median AQI · Good
- 66.4%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 25%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 71.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 182 d · 66.4%
- Moderate · 92 d · 33.6%
How did Orleans County's air break down in 2025?
Across 274 monitored days, 182 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 71 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 274 days monitored. Median AQI: 44 (Good).
Insights: Orleans County, Louisiana. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 44 across 274 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 182 (66%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 92 (34%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 56, while the worst single-day peak hit 71 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 19.9 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (256 days), NO2 (15 days), PM10 (2 days), CO (1 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -115 and the median AQI moved +11 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 71, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Ascension (94.1% good, AQI 33); Bossier (86.5% good, AQI 40); Caddo (84.3% good, AQI 38); Calcasieu (61.5% good, AQI 47); East Baton Rouge (49.3% good, AQI 51); Iberville (78.4% good, AQI 41).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
66.4%
182 of 274 monitored days
-8.6pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
71
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 56
Orleans County, Good days share 66.4%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Orleans 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 274 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
182
66%
Moderate
92
34%
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 Orleans County.
- PM2.5 · 256 days · 93.4%
- NO₂ · 15 days · 5.5%
- PM10 · 2 days · 0.7%
- CO · 1 days · 0.4%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Orleans County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 66.4% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 66.4% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 44. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 256 of 274 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Orleans County. Best year: 2021 (308 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 297 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 90 |
| 2021 | 308 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 69 |
| 2022 | 286 | 77 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 102 |
| 2023 | 248 | 117 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 90 |
| 2024 | 257 | 108 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 105 |
| 2025 | 182 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 71 |
How does Orleans County compare?
How Orleans County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Orleans County 66.4%
Ascension County, Louisiana 94.1%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Orleans County 44
Ascension County, Louisiana 33
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Orleans County 0
Ascension County, Louisiana 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Louisiana
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Louisiana.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Orleans County.
Baltimore County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 70.4% good
Baltimore (City) County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 68.7% good
Bartholomew County, Indiana
AQI 44 · 69.2% good
Berks County, Pennsylvania
AQI 44 · 65.6% good
Bolivar County, Mississippi
AQI 44 · 70.3% good
Brewster County, Texas
AQI 44 · 69.0% good
What Orleans 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 44 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Orleans County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Orleans County with its Louisiana neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Louisiana
Based on 274 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 Orleans County, Louisiana? ▼
Orleans County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 44, rated "Good." 66.4% of monitored days (182 out of 274) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Orleans County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Orleans County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 256 days (93% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Orleans County have? ▼
In 2025, Orleans County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 71.
Is the air quality in Orleans County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Orleans County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2021 with 308 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 182 good days.
What does AQI 44 mean for health? ▼
Orleans County's median AQI of 44 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 Orleans County compare to other counties in Louisiana? ▼
Orleans County has 66.4% good air days. Nearby counties in Louisiana: Ascension (94.1% good), Bossier (86.5% good), Caddo (84.3% good), Calcasieu (61.5% good), East Baton Rouge (49.3% good), Iberville (78.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Orleans County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Orleans County is 56, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 71 (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.