Median AQI
14
Good
New Mexico · County air quality · 2025
Taos County, New Mexico
Median AQI 14 (Good). 98.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 14
- Median AQI
- 98.5%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 95%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Taos County's air is good on balance, among the cleanest 5% of US counties, a median AQI of 14 with 98.5% of 268 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 14
- median AQI · Good
- 98.5%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 95%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 52.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 264 d · 98.5%
- Moderate · 4 d · 1.5%
How did Taos County's air break down in 2025?
Across 268 monitored days, 264 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 52 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 268 days monitored. Median AQI: 14 (Good).
Insights: Taos County, New Mexico. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 14 across 268 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 264 (99%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 4 (1%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 29, while the worst single-day peak hit 52 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 29.6 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (268 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -46 and the median AQI moved -13 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 52, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Bernalillo (23.7% good, AQI 59); Catron (100.0% good, AQI 8); Chaves (94.4% good, AQI 16); Dona Ana (19.4% good, AQI 70); Eddy (46.9% good, AQI 51); Lea (61.5% good, AQI 47).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
98.5%
264 of 268 monitored days
23.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
52
Moderate
Health Grade
Excellent
90th-pct AQI 29
Taos County, Good days share 98.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Taos 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 268 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
264
99%
Moderate
4
1%
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 Taos County.
- PM2.5 · 268 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Excellent
Taos County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 98.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 98.5% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 14. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 268 of 268 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Taos County. Best year: 2024 (354 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 310 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 68 |
| 2021 | 290 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 108 |
| 2022 | 323 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 86 |
| 2023 | 332 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 67 |
| 2024 | 354 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 76 |
| 2025 | 264 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 52 |
How does Taos County compare?
How Taos County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Taos County 98.5%
Bernalillo County, New Mexico 23.7%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI better than US avg
Taos County 14
Bernalillo County, New Mexico 59
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Taos County 0
Bernalillo County, New Mexico 3
US average 0
Other Counties in New Mexico
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in New Mexico.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Taos County.
Apache County, Arizona
AQI 14 · 99.6% good
Dawson County, Montana
AQI 14 · 95.0% good
Gallatin County, Montana
AQI 14 · 99.1% good
Hughes County, South Dakota
AQI 14 · 94.4% good
Klickitat County, Washington
AQI 14 · 84.2% good
Park County, Wyoming
AQI 14 · 99.5% good
What Taos County's air means for you
The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with PM2.5 the main thing to watch.
- Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-PM2.5 days, the guide explains what a median of 14 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Taos County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Taos County with its New Mexico neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of New Mexico
Based on 268 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 Taos County, New Mexico? ▼
Taos County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 14, rated "Good." 98.5% of monitored days (264 out of 268) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Taos County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Taos County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 268 days (100% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Taos County have? ▼
In 2025, Taos County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 52.
Is the air quality in Taos County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Taos County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 354 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 264 good days.
What does AQI 14 mean for health? ▼
Taos County's median AQI of 14 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 Taos County compare to other counties in New Mexico? ▼
Taos County has 98.5% good air days. Nearby counties in New Mexico: Bernalillo (23.7% good), Catron (100.0% good), Chaves (94.4% good), Dona Ana (19.4% good), Eddy (46.9% good), Lea (61.5% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Taos County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Taos County is 29, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 52 (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.