Median AQI
39
Good
New York · County air quality · 2025
Albany County, New York
Median AQI 39 (Good). 67.4% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 39
- Median AQI
- 67.4%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 27%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Albany County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 39 with 67.4% of 273 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 39
- median AQI · Good
- 67.4%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 27%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 136.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 184 d · 67.4%
- Moderate · 84 d · 30.8%
- USG · 5 d · 1.8%
How did Albany County's air break down in 2025?
Across 273 monitored days, 184 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 136 (USG).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 273 days monitored. Median AQI: 39 (Good).
Insights: Albany County, New York. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 39 across 273 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 184 (67%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 84 (31%) registered Moderate readings, and 5 (2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 64, while the worst single-day peak hit 136 (USG). Residents averaged about 20.2 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (170 days), Ozone (103 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -51 and the median AQI moved -3 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 136, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Bronx (56.6% good, AQI 47); Chautauqua (88.6% good, AQI 39); Dutchess (92.7% good, AQI 37); Erie (61.3% good, AQI 44); Essex (79.8% good, AQI 42); Hamilton (96.6% good, AQI 36).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
67.4%
184 of 273 monitored days
-7.6pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
136
USG
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 64
Albany County, Good days share 67.4%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Albany 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 273 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
184
67%
Moderate
84
31%
USG
5
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 Albany County.
- PM2.5 · 170 days · 62.3%
- Ozone · 103 days · 37.7%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Albany County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 67.4% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 67.4% 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 PM2.5, driving AQI on 170 of 273 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Albany County. Best year: 2024 (280 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 235 | 127 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 143 |
| 2021 | 254 | 109 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 118 |
| 2022 | 276 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 88 |
| 2023 | 245 | 113 | 4 | 3 | 42 | 186 |
| 2024 | 280 | 85 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 105 |
| 2025 | 184 | 84 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 136 |
How does Albany County compare?
How Albany County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Albany County 67.4%
Bronx County, New York 56.6%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Albany County 39
Bronx County, New York 47
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Albany County 0
Bronx County, New York 0
US average 0
Other Counties in New York
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in New York.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Albany County.
Ada County, Idaho
AQI 39 · 80.6% good
Aiken County, South Carolina
AQI 39 · 89.1% 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
Boyd County, Kentucky
AQI 39 · 82.8% good
What Albany 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 39 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Albany County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Albany County with its New York neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of New York
Based on 273 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 Albany County, New York? ▼
Albany County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 39, rated "Good." 67.4% of monitored days (184 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Albany County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Albany County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 170 days (62% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Albany County have? ▼
In 2025, Albany County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 136.
Is the air quality in Albany County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Albany County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 280 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 184 good days.
What does AQI 39 mean for health? ▼
Albany 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 Albany County compare to other counties in New York? ▼
Albany County has 67.4% good air days. Nearby counties in New York: Bronx (56.6% good), Chautauqua (88.6% good), Dutchess (92.7% good), Erie (61.3% good), Essex (79.8% good), Hamilton (96.6% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Albany County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Albany County is 64, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 136 (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.