Median AQI
39
Good
Nebraska · County air quality · 2025
Knox County, Nebraska
Median AQI 39 (Good). 89.3% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 39
- Median AQI
- 89.3%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 75%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Knox County's air is good on balance, cleaner than most US counties, a median AQI of 39 with 89.3% of 234 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 39
- median AQI · Good
- 89.3%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 75%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 115.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 209 d · 89.3%
- Moderate · 21 d · 9.0%
- USG · 4 d · 1.7%
How did Knox County's air break down in 2025?
Across 234 monitored days, 209 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 115 (USG).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 234 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).
Insights: Knox County, Nebraska. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 234 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 209 (89%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 21 (9%) registered Moderate readings, and 4 (2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 54, while the worst single-day peak hit 115 (USG). Residents averaged about 26.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (234 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -132 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 115, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Cass (96.5% good, AQI 20); Douglas (66.8% good, AQI 44); Gage (74.0% good, AQI 36); Hall (80.2% good, AQI 37); Lancaster (77.7% good, AQI 36); Sarpy (77.1% good, AQI 33).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
89.3%
209 of 234 monitored days
14.3pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
115
USG
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 54
Knox County, Good days share 89.3%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Knox 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 234 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
209
89%
Moderate
21
9%
USG
4
2%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Knox County.
- Ozone · 234 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Knox County's air quality is rated Good based on 89.3% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 89.3% 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 234 of 234 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Knox County. Best year: 2020 (341 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 341 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 84 |
| 2021 | 317 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 112 |
| 2022 | 319 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 100 |
| 2023 | 271 | 56 | 13 | 1 | 41 | 151 |
| 2024 | 300 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 108 |
| 2025 | 209 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 115 |
How does Knox County compare?
How Knox County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Knox County 89.3%
Cass County, Nebraska 96.5%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Knox County 39
Cass County, Nebraska 20
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Knox County 0
Cass County, Nebraska 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Nebraska
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Nebraska.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Knox County.
Ada County, Idaho
AQI 39 · 80.6% good
Aiken County, South Carolina
AQI 39 · 89.1% good
Albany County, New York
AQI 39 · 67.4% good
Alexander County, North Carolina
AQI 39 · 92.4% good
Ashland County, Wisconsin
AQI 39 · 85.6% good
Bennington County, Vermont
AQI 39 · 82.9% good
What Knox 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 Knox County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Knox County with its Nebraska neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Nebraska
Based on 234 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 Knox County, Nebraska? ▼
Knox County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 89.3% of monitored days (209 out of 234) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Knox County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Knox County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 234 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Knox County have? ▼
In 2025, Knox County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 115.
Is the air quality in Knox County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Knox County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 341 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 209 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health? ▼
Knox 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 Knox County compare to other counties in Nebraska? ▼
Knox County has 89.3% good air days. Nearby counties in Nebraska: Cass (96.5% good), Douglas (66.8% good), Gage (74.0% good), Hall (80.2% good), Lancaster (77.7% good), Sarpy (77.1% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Knox County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Knox County is 54, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 115 (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.