Maryland · County air quality · 2025

Kent County, Maryland

Median AQI 40 (Good). 83.3% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

40
Median AQI
83.3%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
61%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Kent County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 40 with 83.3% of 299 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

40
median AQI · Good
83.3%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
61%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 129.

Data updated July 2026

Kent County AQI category distribution Stacked-segment bar showing the share of monitored days that fell in each EPA AQI category, Good, Moderate, USG, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, Hazardous, with median AQI marker. AQI category distribution 299 monitored days G M Median AQI 40 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Kent County
  • Good · 249 d · 83.3%
  • Moderate · 49 d · 16.4%
  • USG · 1 d · 0.3%

How did Kent County's air break down in 2025?

Across 299 monitored days, 249 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 129 (USG).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 299 days monitored. Median AQI: 40 (Good).

Insights: Kent County, Maryland. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 40 across 299 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 249 (83%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 49 (16%) registered Moderate readings, and 1 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 57, while the worst single-day peak hit 129 (USG). Residents averaged about 25.0 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (206 days), PM2.5 (93 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -84 and the median AQI moved +4 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 129, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Anne Arundel (87.2% good, AQI 40); Baltimore (70.4% good, AQI 44); Baltimore (City) (68.7% good, AQI 44); Calvert (94.6% good, AQI 38); Carroll (90.3% good, AQI 38); Cecil (80.9% good, AQI 41).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

40

Good

Good Days

83.3%

249 of 299 monitored days

8.3pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

129

USG

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 57

Kent County, Good days share 83.3%
National avg

Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).

Kent 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 299 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

249

83%

Moderate

49

16%

USG

1

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 Kent County.

Kent County, Maryland criteria pollutant distribution Stratified-band visualization showing the share of monitored days each criteria pollutant (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, CO) was the primary AQI driver. Ozone · 68.9% PM2.5 · 31.1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Kent County, Maryland · 299 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 206 days · 68.9%
  • PM2.5 · 93 days · 31.1%
Ozone (O3) 206 days (69%)

How Ozone affects health →

Fine Particles (PM2.5) 93 days (31%)

How PM2.5 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

Kent County's air quality is rated Good based on 83.3% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 83.3% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 40. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 206 of 299 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Kent County. Best year: 2020 (333 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 333 26 0 0 36
2021 284 72 1 0 40
2022 292 69 0 0 40
2023 276 78 4 3 41
2024 289 71 2 0 40
2025 249 49 1 0 40

How does Kent County compare?

How Kent County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Kent County 83.3%
Anne Arundel County, Maryland 87.2%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Kent County 40
Anne Arundel County, Maryland 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Kent County 0
Anne Arundel County, Maryland 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Maryland

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Maryland.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Kent County.

What Kent 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 40 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Kent County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Kent County with its Maryland neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Maryland

Based on 299 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 Kent County, Maryland?
Kent County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 40, rated "Good." 83.3% of monitored days (249 out of 299) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Kent County?
The primary pollutant in Kent County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 206 days (69% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Kent County have?
In 2025, Kent County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 129.
Is the air quality in Kent County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Kent County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 333 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 249 good days.
What does AQI 40 mean for health?
Kent County's median AQI of 40 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 Kent County compare to other counties in Maryland?
Kent County has 83.3% good air days. Nearby counties in Maryland: Anne Arundel (87.2% good), Baltimore (70.4% good), Baltimore (City) (68.7% good), Calvert (94.6% good), Carroll (90.3% good), Cecil (80.9% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Kent County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Kent County is 57, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 129 (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.