Median AQI
40
Good
New York · County air quality · 2025
Steuben County, New York
Median AQI 40 (Good). 80.2% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 40
- Median AQI
- 80.2%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 53%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Steuben County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 40 with 80.2% of 273 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 40
- median AQI · Good
- 80.2%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 53%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 143.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 219 d · 80.2%
- Moderate · 51 d · 18.7%
- USG · 3 d · 1.1%
How did Steuben County's air break down in 2025?
Across 273 monitored days, 219 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 143 (USG).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 273 days monitored. Median AQI: 40 (Good).
Insights: Steuben County, New York. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 40 across 273 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 219 (80%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 51 (19%) registered Moderate readings, and 3 (1%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 60, while the worst single-day peak hit 143 (USG). Residents averaged about 24.1 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (202 days), PM2.5 (71 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -111 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 143, usg but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Albany (67.4% good, AQI 39); 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).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
80.2%
219 of 273 monitored days
5.2pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
143
USG
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 60
Steuben County, Good days share 80.2%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Steuben 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
219
80%
Moderate
51
19%
USG
3
1%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Steuben County.
- Ozone · 202 days · 74.0%
- PM2.5 · 71 days · 26.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Steuben County's air quality is rated Good based on 80.2% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 80.2% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 40. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 202 of 273 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Steuben County. Best year: 2020 (330 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 330 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 81 |
| 2021 | 285 | 79 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 124 |
| 2022 | 326 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 71 |
| 2023 | 274 | 83 | 3 | 4 | 40 | 256 |
| 2024 | 321 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 68 |
| 2025 | 219 | 51 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 143 |
How does Steuben County compare?
How Steuben County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Steuben County 80.2%
Albany County, New York 67.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Steuben County 40
Albany County, New York 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Steuben County 0
Albany 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 Steuben County.
Amador County, California
AQI 40 · 84.8% good
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
AQI 40 · 87.2% good
Arlington County, Virginia
AQI 40 · 84.8% good
Bergen County, New Jersey
AQI 40 · 71.1% good
Berkeley County, West Virginia
AQI 40 · 81.1% good
Billings County, North Dakota
AQI 40 · 80.3% good
What Steuben 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 40 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Steuben County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Steuben 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 Steuben County, New York? ▼
Steuben County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 40, rated "Good." 80.2% of monitored days (219 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Steuben County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Steuben County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 202 days (74% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Steuben County have? ▼
In 2025, Steuben County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 143.
Is the air quality in Steuben County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Steuben County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 330 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 219 good days.
What does AQI 40 mean for health? ▼
Steuben County's median AQI of 40 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 Steuben County compare to other counties in New York? ▼
Steuben County has 80.2% good air days. Nearby counties in New York: Albany (67.4% good), Bronx (56.6% good), Chautauqua (88.6% good), Dutchess (92.7% good), Erie (61.3% good), Essex (79.8% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Steuben County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Steuben County is 60, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 143 (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.