North Dakota · County air quality · 2025

Dunn County, North Dakota

Median AQI 40 (Good). 78.6% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

40
Median AQI
78.6%
Good-air days
3
Unhealthy days
48%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Dunn County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 40 with 78.6% of 243 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.

40
median AQI · Good
78.6%
days rated Good
Ozone
main pollutant
48%
cleaner than US counties

3 days reached Unhealthy or worse; the worst single reading hit AQI 217.

Data updated July 2026

Dunn County AQI category distribution Stacked-segment bar showing the share of monitored days that fell in each EPA AQI category, Good, Moderate, USG, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, Hazardous, with median AQI marker. AQI category distribution 243 monitored days G M Median AQI 40 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Dunn County
  • Good · 191 d · 78.6%
  • Moderate · 43 d · 17.7%
  • USG · 6 d · 2.5%
  • Unhealthy · 2 d · 0.8%
  • Very Unhealthy · 1 d · 0.4%

How did Dunn County's air break down in 2025?

Across 243 monitored days, 191 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 3 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 217 (Very Unhealthy).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 243 days monitored. Median AQI: 40 (Good).

Insights: Dunn County, North Dakota. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 40 across 243 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 191 (79%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 43 (18%) registered Moderate readings, and 6 (2%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 64, while the worst single-day peak hit 217 (Very Unhealthy). Residents averaged about 23.6 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (165 days), PM2.5 (78 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -156 and the median AQI moved +6 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. Residents and visitors experienced 3 unhealthy-or-worse days combined, periods when the EPA recommends sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Billings (80.3% good, AQI 40); Burke (72.8% good, AQI 40); Burleigh (77.5% good, AQI 41); Cass (73.2% good, AQI 39); McKenzie (79.0% good, AQI 41); Mercer (80.3% good, AQI 39).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

40

Good

Good Days

78.6%

191 of 243 monitored days

3.6pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

217

Very Unhealthy

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 64

Dunn County, Good days share 78.6%
National avg

Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).

Dunn County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 1.2%
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 243 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

191

79%

Moderate

43

18%

USG

6

2%

Unhealthy

2

1%

Very Unhealthy

1

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Pollutant Breakdown

Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Dunn County.

Dunn County, North Dakota criteria pollutant distribution Stratified-band visualization showing the share of monitored days each criteria pollutant (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, CO) was the primary AQI driver. Ozone · 67.9% PM2.5 · 32.1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Dunn County, North Dakota · 243 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • Ozone · 165 days · 67.9%
  • PM2.5 · 78 days · 32.1%
Ozone (O3) 165 days (68%)

How Ozone affects health →

Fine Particles (PM2.5) 78 days (32%)

How PM2.5 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

Dunn County's air quality is rated Good based on 78.6% good air days. There were 3 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality reached unhealthy levels on 3 days in 2025 (2 Unhealthy, 1 Very Unhealthy). Sensitive groups, including people with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, children, and adults over 65, should review the daily breakdown below and follow local air-quality advisories on high-AQI days.

Sensitive group advisory

People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, children, pregnant women, and adults 65+ should follow EPA AQI alerts daily and limit outdoor exertion when AQI exceeds 100. Real-time conditions: airnow.gov.

The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 165 of 243 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Dunn County. Best year: 2020 (347 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 347 19 0 0 34
2021 277 78 7 3 39
2022 308 54 0 0 37
2023 263 85 11 5 41
2024 304 53 5 3 37
2025 191 43 6 2 40

How does Dunn County compare?

How Dunn County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Dunn County 78.6%
Billings County, North Dakota 80.3%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Dunn County 40
Billings County, North Dakota 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr worse than US avg
Dunn County 3
Billings County, North Dakota 4
US average 0

Other Counties in North Dakota

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in North Dakota.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Dunn County.

What Dunn County's air means for you

On most days the air here is fine, but Ozone drives 3 unhealthy-or-worse days a year that sensitive groups should plan around.

  • 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 Dunn County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Dunn County with its North Dakota neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of North Dakota

Based on 243 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 Dunn County, North Dakota?
Dunn County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 40, rated "Good." 78.6% of monitored days (191 out of 243) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Dunn County?
The primary pollutant in Dunn County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 165 days (68% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Dunn County have?
In 2025, Dunn County recorded 3 unhealthy air days (2 Unhealthy, 1 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 217.
Is the air quality in Dunn County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Dunn County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 347 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 191 good days.
What does AQI 40 mean for health?
Dunn 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 Dunn County compare to other counties in North Dakota?
Dunn County has 78.6% good air days. Nearby counties in North Dakota: Billings (80.3% good), Burke (72.8% good), Burleigh (77.5% good), Cass (73.2% good), McKenzie (79.0% good), Mercer (80.3% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Dunn County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Dunn County is 64, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 217 (Very Unhealthy).

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.