Median AQI
44
Good
North Carolina · County air quality · 2025
Wake County, North Carolina
Median AQI 44 (Good). 66.3% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 44
- Median AQI
- 66.3%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 25%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Wake County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 44 with 66.3% of 273 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 44
- median AQI · Good
- 66.3%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 25%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 73.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 181 d · 66.3%
- Moderate · 92 d · 33.7%
How did Wake County's air break down in 2025?
Across 273 monitored days, 181 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 73 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 273 days monitored. Median AQI: 44 (Good).
Insights: Wake County, North Carolina. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 44 across 273 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 181 (66%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 92 (34%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 58, while the worst single-day peak hit 73 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 19.9 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (177 days), Ozone (96 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -41 and the median AQI moved -2 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 73, 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
66.3%
181 of 273 monitored days
-8.7pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
73
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 58
Wake County, Good days share 66.3%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Wake 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
181
66%
Moderate
92
34%
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 Wake County.
- PM2.5 · 177 days · 64.8%
- Ozone · 96 days · 35.2%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Wake County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 66.3% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 66.3% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 44. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 177 of 273 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Wake County. Best year: 2022 (228 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 222 | 142 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 101 |
| 2021 | 199 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 96 |
| 2022 | 228 | 136 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 122 |
| 2023 | 190 | 170 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 130 |
| 2024 | 226 | 139 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 112 |
| 2025 | 181 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 73 |
How does Wake County compare?
How Wake County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Wake County 66.3%
Alexander County, North Carolina 92.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Wake County 44
Alexander County, North Carolina 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Wake 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 Wake County.
Baltimore County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 70.4% good
Baltimore (City) County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 68.7% good
Bartholomew County, Indiana
AQI 44 · 69.2% good
Berks County, Pennsylvania
AQI 44 · 65.6% good
Bolivar County, Mississippi
AQI 44 · 70.3% good
Brewster County, Texas
AQI 44 · 69.0% good
What Wake 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 44 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Wake County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Wake County with its North Carolina neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of North Carolina
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 Wake County, North Carolina? ▼
Wake County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 44, rated "Good." 66.3% of monitored days (181 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Wake County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Wake County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 177 days (65% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Wake County have? ▼
In 2025, Wake County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 73.
Is the air quality in Wake County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Wake County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 228 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 181 good days.
What does AQI 44 mean for health? ▼
Wake County's median AQI of 44 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 Wake County compare to other counties in North Carolina? ▼
Wake County has 66.3% 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 Wake County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Wake County is 58, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 73 (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.