Median AQI
48
Good
New Mexico · County air quality · 2025
Valencia County, New Mexico
Median AQI 48 (Good). 66.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 48
- Median AQI
- 66.5%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 25%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Valencia County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 48 with 66.5% of 269 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 48
- median AQI · Good
- 66.5%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 25%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 97.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 179 d · 66.5%
- Moderate · 90 d · 33.5%
How did Valencia County's air break down in 2025?
Across 269 monitored days, 179 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). 269 days monitored. Median AQI: 48 (Good).
Insights: Valencia County, New Mexico. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 48 across 269 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 179 (67%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 90 (33%) 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 20.0 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (269 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -104 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 97, 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
66.5%
179 of 269 monitored days
-8.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
97
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 67
Valencia County, Good days share 66.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Valencia 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 269 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
179
67%
Moderate
90
33%
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 Valencia County.
- Ozone · 269 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Valencia County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 66.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 66.5% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 48. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 269 of 269 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Valencia County. Best year: 2022 (317 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 283 | 74 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 105 |
| 2021 | 295 | 59 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 136 |
| 2022 | 317 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 93 |
| 2023 | 289 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 87 |
| 2024 | 300 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 105 |
| 2025 | 179 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 97 |
How does Valencia County compare?
How Valencia County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Valencia County 66.5%
Bernalillo County, New Mexico 23.7%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Valencia County 48
Bernalillo County, New Mexico 59
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Valencia 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 Valencia County.
Black Hawk County, Iowa
AQI 48 · 56.6% good
Box Elder County, Utah
AQI 48 · 60.0% good
Brookings County, South Dakota
AQI 48 · 53.0% good
Clear Creek County, Colorado
AQI 48 · 64.4% good
Coconino County, Arizona
AQI 48 · 62.5% good
Columbia County, Florida
AQI 48 · 56.4% good
What Valencia 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 48 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Valencia County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Valencia County with its New Mexico neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of New Mexico
Based on 269 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 Valencia County, New Mexico? ▼
Valencia County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 48, rated "Good." 66.5% of monitored days (179 out of 269) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Valencia County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Valencia County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 269 days (100% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Valencia County have? ▼
In 2025, Valencia County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 97.
Is the air quality in Valencia County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Valencia County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 317 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 179 good days.
What does AQI 48 mean for health? ▼
Valencia County's median AQI of 48 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 Valencia County compare to other counties in New Mexico? ▼
Valencia County has 66.5% 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 Valencia County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Valencia 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.