Missouri · County air quality · 2025

Saint Louis County, Missouri

Median AQI 39 (Good). 88.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

39
Median AQI
88.5%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
72%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Saint Louis County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 39 with 88.5% of 148 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

39
median AQI · Good
88.5%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
72%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 93.

Data updated July 2026

Saint Louis 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 148 monitored days G M Median AQI 39 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Saint Louis County
  • Good · 131 d · 88.5%
  • Moderate · 17 d · 11.5%

How did Saint Louis County's air break down in 2025?

Across 148 monitored days, 131 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 93 (Moderate).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 148 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).

Insights: Saint Louis County, Missouri. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 148 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 131 (89%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 17 (11%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 51, while the worst single-day peak hit 93 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 26.6 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (96 days), NO2 (40 days), PM2.5 (12 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -115 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 93, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Andrew (84.3% good, AQI 42); Boone (89.1% good, AQI 41); Buchanan (64.2% good, AQI 39); Callaway (85.6% good, AQI 42); Cass (82.2% good, AQI 41); Cedar (81.8% good, AQI 40).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

39

Good

Good Days

88.5%

131 of 148 monitored days

13.5pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

93

Moderate

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 51

Saint Louis County, Good days share 88.5%
National avg

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

Saint Louis 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 148 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

131

89%

Moderate

17

11%

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 Saint Louis County.

Saint Louis County, Missouri 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 · 64.9% NO₂ · 27.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Saint Louis County, Missouri · 148 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 96 days · 64.9%
  • NO₂ · 40 days · 27.0%
  • PM2.5 · 12 days · 8.1%
Ozone (O3) 96 days (65%)

How Ozone affects health →

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 40 days (27%)

How NO2 affects health →

Fine Particles (PM2.5) 12 days (8%)

How PM2.5 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

Saint Louis County's air quality is rated Good based on 88.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 88.5% 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 Ozone, driving AQI on 96 of 148 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in Saint Louis County. Best year: 2024 (266 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 246 114 6 0 44
2021 251 111 3 0 42
2022 263 100 2 0 44
2023 218 130 14 3 46
2024 266 94 2 0 43
2025 131 17 0 0 39

How does Saint Louis County compare?

How Saint Louis County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Saint Louis County 88.5%
Andrew County, Missouri 84.3%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Saint Louis County 39
Andrew County, Missouri 42
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Saint Louis County 0
Andrew County, Missouri 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Missouri

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Missouri.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Saint Louis 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 39 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Saint Louis County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Saint Louis County with its Missouri neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Missouri

Based on 148 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 Saint Louis County, Missouri?
Saint Louis County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 88.5% of monitored days (131 out of 148) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Saint Louis County?
The primary pollutant in Saint Louis County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 96 days (65% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Saint Louis County have?
In 2025, Saint Louis County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 93.
Is the air quality in Saint Louis County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Saint Louis County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 266 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 131 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health?
Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis County compare to other counties in Missouri?
Saint Louis County has 88.5% good air days. Nearby counties in Missouri: Andrew (84.3% good), Boone (89.1% good), Buchanan (64.2% good), Callaway (85.6% good), Cass (82.2% good), Cedar (81.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Saint Louis County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Saint Louis County is 51, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 93 (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.