Median AQI
40
Good
North Carolina · County air quality · 2025
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Median AQI 40 (Good). 82.6% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 40
- Median AQI
- 82.6%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 59%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Edgecombe County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 40 with 82.6% of 264 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 40
- median AQI · Good
- 82.6%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 59%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 68.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 218 d · 82.6%
- Moderate · 46 d · 17.4%
How did Edgecombe County's air break down in 2025?
Across 264 monitored days, 218 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 68 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 264 days monitored. Median AQI: 40 (Good).
Insights: Edgecombe County, North Carolina. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 40 across 264 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 218 (83%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 46 (17%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 53, while the worst single-day peak hit 68 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 24.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (180 days), Ozone (84 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -69 and the median AQI moved +5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 68, 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
82.6%
218 of 264 monitored days
7.6pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
68
Moderate
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 53
Edgecombe County, Good days share 82.6%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Edgecombe 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 264 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
218
83%
Moderate
46
17%
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 Edgecombe County.
- PM2.5 · 180 days · 68.2%
- Ozone · 84 days · 31.8%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Edgecombe County's air quality is rated Good based on 82.6% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 82.6% 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 PM2.5, driving AQI on 180 of 264 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Edgecombe County. Best year: 2022 (312 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 287 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 95 |
| 2021 | 292 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 90 |
| 2022 | 312 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 93 |
| 2023 | 266 | 91 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 99 |
| 2024 | 302 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 80 |
| 2025 | 218 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 68 |
How does Edgecombe County compare?
How Edgecombe County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Edgecombe County 82.6%
Alexander County, North Carolina 92.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Edgecombe County 40
Alexander County, North Carolina 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe 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 40 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Edgecombe County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Edgecombe County with its North Carolina neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of North Carolina
Based on 264 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 Edgecombe County, North Carolina? ▼
Edgecombe County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 40, rated "Good." 82.6% of monitored days (218 out of 264) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Edgecombe County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Edgecombe County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 180 days (68% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Edgecombe County have? ▼
In 2025, Edgecombe County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 68.
Is the air quality in Edgecombe County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Edgecombe County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 312 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 218 good days.
What does AQI 40 mean for health? ▼
Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe County compare to other counties in North Carolina? ▼
Edgecombe County has 82.6% 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 Edgecombe County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Edgecombe County is 53, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 68 (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.