Median AQI
43
Good
North Carolina · County air quality · 2025
Catawba County, North Carolina
Median AQI 43 (Good). 67.2% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 43
- Median AQI
- 67.2%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 26%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Catawba County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 43 with 67.2% of 262 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 43
- median AQI · Good
- 67.2%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 26%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 88.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 176 d · 67.2%
- Moderate · 86 d · 32.8%
How did Catawba County's air break down in 2025?
Across 262 monitored days, 176 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 88 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 262 days monitored. Median AQI: 43 (Good).
Insights: Catawba County, North Carolina. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 43 across 262 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 176 (67%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 86 (33%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 59, while the worst single-day peak hit 88 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 20.2 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (262 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -71 and the median AQI moved +1 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 88, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Alexander (92.4% good, AQI 39); Avery (93.9% good, AQI 38); Buncombe (71.4% good, AQI 42); Caldwell (96.2% good, AQI 37); Carteret (94.2% good, AQI 37); Caswell (94.6% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
67.2%
176 of 262 monitored days
-7.8pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
88
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 59
Catawba County, Good days share 67.2%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Catawba 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 262 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
176
67%
Moderate
86
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 Catawba County.
- PM2.5 · 262 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Catawba County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 67.2% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 67.2% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 43. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 262 of 262 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Catawba County. Best year: 2020 (247 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 247 | 110 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 95 |
| 2021 | 197 | 147 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 94 |
| 2022 | 234 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 81 |
| 2023 | 212 | 132 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 115 |
| 2024 | 232 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 93 |
| 2025 | 176 | 86 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 88 |
How does Catawba County compare?
How Catawba County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Catawba County 67.2%
Alexander County, North Carolina 92.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Catawba County 43
Alexander County, North Carolina 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Catawba County 0
Alexander County, North Carolina 0
US average 0
Other Counties in North Carolina
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in North Carolina.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Catawba County.
Allegan County, Michigan
AQI 43 · 71.2% good
Allen County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 65.9% good
Ashtabula County, Ohio
AQI 43 · 81.2% good
Bell County, Kentucky
AQI 43 · 63.5% good
Boise County, Idaho
AQI 43 · 72.9% good
Brazos County, Texas
AQI 43 · 63.4% good
What Catawba 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 43 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Catawba County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Catawba County with its North Carolina neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of North Carolina
Based on 262 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 Catawba County, North Carolina? ▼
Catawba County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 67.2% of monitored days (176 out of 262) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Catawba County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Catawba County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 262 days (100% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Catawba County have? ▼
In 2025, Catawba County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 88.
Is the air quality in Catawba County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Catawba County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 247 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 176 good days.
What does AQI 43 mean for health? ▼
Catawba County's median AQI of 43 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 Catawba County compare to other counties in North Carolina? ▼
Catawba County has 67.2% good air days. Nearby counties in North Carolina: Alexander (92.4% good), Avery (93.9% good), Buncombe (71.4% good), Caldwell (96.2% good), Carteret (94.2% good), Caswell (94.6% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Catawba County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Catawba County is 59, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 88 (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.