Minnesota · County air quality · 2025

Goodhue County, Minnesota

Median AQI 41 (Good). 84.3% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

41
Median AQI
84.3%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
64%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Goodhue County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 41 with 84.3% of 121 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

41
median AQI · Good
84.3%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
64%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 97.

Data updated July 2026

Goodhue 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 121 monitored days G M Median AQI 41 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Goodhue County
  • Good · 102 d · 84.3%
  • Moderate · 19 d · 15.7%

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

Across 121 monitored days, 102 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 97 (Moderate).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 121 days monitored. Median AQI: 41 (Good).

Insights: Goodhue County, Minnesota. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 41 across 121 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 102 (84%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 19 (16%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 67, while the worst single-day peak hit 97 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 25.3 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (121 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -99 and the median AQI moved +6 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 97, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Anoka (82.1% good, AQI 38); Becker (84.7% good, AQI 38); Beltrami (88.8% good, AQI 37); Blue Earth (82.7% good, AQI 38); Carlton (92.9% good, AQI 35); Cass (94.4% good, AQI 22).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

41

Good

Good Days

84.3%

102 of 121 monitored days

9.3pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

97

Moderate

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 67

Goodhue County, Good days share 84.3%
National avg

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

Goodhue 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 121 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

102

84%

Moderate

19

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 Goodhue County.

Goodhue County, Minnesota 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 · 100.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Goodhue County, Minnesota · 121 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 121 days · 100.0%
Ozone (O3) 121 days (100%)

How Ozone affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

Goodhue County's air quality is rated Good based on 84.3% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 84.3% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 41. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 121 of 121 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Goodhue County. Best year: 2024 (232 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 201 9 0 0 35
2021 193 23 0 0 39
2022 210 10 0 0 38
2023 198 35 5 0 43
2024 232 16 0 0 38
2025 102 19 0 0 41

How does Goodhue County compare?

How Goodhue County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Goodhue County 84.3%
Anoka County, Minnesota 82.1%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Goodhue County 41
Anoka County, Minnesota 38
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Goodhue County 0
Anoka County, Minnesota 1
US average 0

Other Counties in Minnesota

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Minnesota.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Goodhue 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 41 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Goodhue County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Goodhue County with its Minnesota neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Minnesota

Based on 121 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 Goodhue County, Minnesota?
Goodhue County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 41, rated "Good." 84.3% of monitored days (102 out of 121) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Goodhue County?
The primary pollutant in Goodhue County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 121 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Goodhue County have?
In 2025, Goodhue County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 97.
Is the air quality in Goodhue County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Goodhue County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 232 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 102 good days.
What does AQI 41 mean for health?
Goodhue County's median AQI of 41 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 Goodhue County compare to other counties in Minnesota?
Goodhue County has 84.3% good air days. Nearby counties in Minnesota: Anoka (82.1% good), Becker (84.7% good), Beltrami (88.8% good), Blue Earth (82.7% good), Carlton (92.9% good), Cass (94.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Goodhue County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Goodhue County is 67, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 97 (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.