Median AQI
42
Good
Pennsylvania · County air quality · 2025
Adams County, Pennsylvania
Median AQI 42 (Good). 73.8% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 73.8%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 38%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Adams County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 42 with 73.8% of 260 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 73.8%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 38%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 100.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 192 d · 73.8%
- Moderate · 68 d · 26.2%
How did Adams County's air break down in 2025?
Across 260 monitored days, 192 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 100 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 260 days monitored. Median AQI: 42 (Good).
Insights: Adams County, Pennsylvania. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 42 across 260 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 192 (74%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 68 (26%) 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 100 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 22.2 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (166 days), PM2.5 (61 days), CO (33 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -88 and the median AQI moved +0 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 100, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Allegheny (51.6% good, AQI 49); Armstrong (68.1% good, AQI 42); Beaver (54.3% good, AQI 47); Berks (65.6% good, AQI 44); Blair (71.9% good, AQI 41); Bradford (77.4% good, AQI 39).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
73.8%
192 of 260 monitored days
-1.2pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
100
Moderate
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 61
Adams County, Good days share 73.8%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Adams 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 260 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
192
74%
Moderate
68
26%
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 Adams County.
- Ozone · 166 days · 63.8%
- PM2.5 · 61 days · 23.5%
- CO · 33 days · 12.7%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Adams County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 73.8% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 73.8% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 42. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 166 of 260 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Adams County. Best year: 2020 (280 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 280 | 86 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 88 |
| 2021 | 206 | 155 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 129 |
| 2022 | 221 | 144 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 97 |
| 2023 | 188 | 166 | 7 | 3 | 50 | 241 |
| 2024 | 231 | 132 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 131 |
| 2025 | 192 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 100 |
How does Adams County compare?
How Adams County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Adams County 73.8%
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 51.6%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Adams County 42
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 49
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Adams County 0
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Pennsylvania.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Adams County.
Anderson County, Tennessee
AQI 42 · 91.0% good
Andrew County, Missouri
AQI 42 · 84.3% good
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
AQI 42 · 68.1% good
Baldwin County, Alabama
AQI 42 · 72.2% good
Belmont County, Ohio
AQI 42 · 63.0% good
Buncombe County, North Carolina
AQI 42 · 71.4% good
What Adams County's air means for you
The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with Ozone the main thing to watch.
- Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-Ozone days, the guide explains what a median of 42 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Adams County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Adams County with its Pennsylvania neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Pennsylvania
Based on 260 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 Adams County, Pennsylvania? ▼
Adams County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 42, rated "Good." 73.8% of monitored days (192 out of 260) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Adams County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Adams County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 166 days (64% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Adams County have? ▼
In 2025, Adams County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 100.
Is the air quality in Adams County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Adams County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 280 good days. Worst year: 2023 with 188 good days.
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
Adams County's median AQI of 42 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 Adams County compare to other counties in Pennsylvania? ▼
Adams County has 73.8% good air days. Nearby counties in Pennsylvania: Allegheny (51.6% good), Armstrong (68.1% good), Beaver (54.3% good), Berks (65.6% good), Blair (71.9% good), Bradford (77.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Adams County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Adams County is 61, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 100 (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.