Median AQI
50
Good
North Carolina · County air quality · 2025
Davidson County, North Carolina
Median AQI 50 (Good). 50.2% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 50
- Median AQI
- 50.2%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 6%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Davidson County's air is good on balance, among the most polluted counties nationally, a median AQI of 50 with 50.2% of 259 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 50
- median AQI · Good
- 50.2%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 6%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 90.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 130 d · 50.2%
- Moderate · 129 d · 49.8%
How did Davidson County's air break down in 2025?
Across 259 monitored days, 130 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 90 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 259 days monitored. Median AQI: 50 (Good).
Insights: Davidson County, North Carolina. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 50 across 259 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 130 (50%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 129 (50%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 61, while the worst single-day peak hit 90 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 15.1 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (259 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -76 and the median AQI moved +7 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 90, 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
50.2%
130 of 259 monitored days
-24.8pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
90
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 61
Davidson County, Good days share 50.2%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Davidson 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 259 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
130
50%
Moderate
129
50%
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 Davidson County.
- PM2.5 · 259 days · 100.0%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Davidson County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 50.2% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 50.2% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 50. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 259 of 259 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Davidson County. Best year: 2024 (229 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 206 | 123 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 96 |
| 2021 | 190 | 153 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 97 |
| 2022 | 196 | 158 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 86 |
| 2023 | 195 | 164 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 126 |
| 2024 | 229 | 130 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 89 |
| 2025 | 130 | 129 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 90 |
How does Davidson County compare?
How Davidson County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Davidson County 50.2%
Alexander County, North Carolina 92.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Davidson County 50
Alexander County, North Carolina 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Davidson 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 Davidson County.
Adams County, Colorado
AQI 50 · 50.2% good
Albany County, Wyoming
AQI 50 · 51.9% good
Boulder County, Colorado
AQI 50 · 50.9% good
Davidson County, Tennessee
AQI 50 · 51.8% good
Gila County, Arizona
AQI 50 · 52.0% good
Jefferson County, Ohio
AQI 50 · 50.5% good
What Davidson 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 50 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Davidson County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Davidson County with its North Carolina neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of North Carolina
Based on 259 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 Davidson County, North Carolina? ▼
Davidson County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 50, rated "Good." 50.2% of monitored days (130 out of 259) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Davidson County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Davidson County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 259 days (100% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Davidson County have? ▼
In 2025, Davidson County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 90.
Is the air quality in Davidson County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Davidson County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 229 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 130 good days.
What does AQI 50 mean for health? ▼
Davidson County's median AQI of 50 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 Davidson County compare to other counties in North Carolina? ▼
Davidson County has 50.2% 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 Davidson County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Davidson County is 61, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 90 (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.