Median AQI
36
Good
Maine · County air quality · 2025
Kennebec County, Maine
Median AQI 36 (Good). 83.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 36
- Median AQI
- 83.5%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 62%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Kennebec County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 36 with 83.5% of 304 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 36
- median AQI · Good
- 83.5%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 62%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 96.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 254 d · 83.6%
- Moderate · 50 d · 16.4%
How did Kennebec County's air break down in 2025?
Across 304 monitored days, 254 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 96 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 304 days monitored. Median AQI: 36 (Good).
Insights: Kennebec County, Maine. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 36 across 304 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 254 (84%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 50 (16%) 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 96 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 25.1 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (176 days), PM2.5 (128 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by +33 and the median AQI moved +1 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 96, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Androscoggin (85.5% good, AQI 35); Aroostook (84.1% good, AQI 36); Cumberland (74.0% good, AQI 39); Hancock (89.1% good, AQI 37); Knox (97.3% good, AQI 34); Oxford (74.0% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
83.5%
254 of 304 monitored days
8.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
96
Moderate
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 56
Kennebec County, Good days share 83.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Kennebec 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 304 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
254
84%
Moderate
50
16%
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 Kennebec County.
- Ozone · 176 days · 57.9%
- PM2.5 · 128 days · 42.1%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Kennebec County's air quality is rated Good based on 83.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 83.5% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 36. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 176 of 304 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Kennebec County. Best year: 2024 (310 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 221 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 67 |
| 2021 | 226 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 125 |
| 2022 | 194 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 84 |
| 2023 | 242 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 92 |
| 2024 | 310 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 77 |
| 2025 | 254 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 96 |
How does Kennebec County compare?
How Kennebec County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Kennebec County 83.5%
Androscoggin County, Maine 85.5%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI better than US avg
Kennebec County 36
Androscoggin County, Maine 35
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Kennebec County 0
Androscoggin County, Maine 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Maine
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Maine.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Kennebec County.
Aroostook County, Maine
AQI 36 · 84.1% good
Berkeley County, South Carolina
AQI 36 · 92.2% good
Carter County, Kentucky
AQI 36 · 89.8% good
Claiborne County, Tennessee
AQI 36 · 96.3% good
Clark County, Illinois
AQI 36 · 92.1% good
Cobb County, Georgia
AQI 36 · 92.5% good
What Kennebec 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 36 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Kennebec County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Kennebec County with its Maine neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Maine
Based on 304 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 Kennebec County, Maine? ▼
Kennebec County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 36, rated "Good." 83.5% of monitored days (254 out of 304) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Kennebec County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Kennebec County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 176 days (58% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Kennebec County have? ▼
In 2025, Kennebec County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 96.
Is the air quality in Kennebec County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Kennebec County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 310 good days. Worst year: 2022 with 194 good days.
What does AQI 36 mean for health? ▼
Kennebec County's median AQI of 36 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 Kennebec County compare to other counties in Maine? ▼
Kennebec County has 83.5% good air days. Nearby counties in Maine: Androscoggin (85.5% good), Aroostook (84.1% good), Cumberland (74.0% good), Hancock (89.1% good), Knox (97.3% good), Oxford (74.0% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Kennebec County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Kennebec County is 56, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 96 (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.