Median AQI
35
Good
Rhode Island · County air quality · 2025
Kent County, Rhode Island
Median AQI 35 (Good). 90.4% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 35
- Median AQI
- 90.4%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 77%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Kent County's air is good on balance, cleaner than most US counties, a median AQI of 35 with 90.4% of 240 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 35
- median AQI · Good
- 90.4%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 77%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 90.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 217 d · 90.4%
- Moderate · 23 d · 9.6%
How did Kent County's air break down in 2025?
Across 240 monitored days, 217 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). 240 days monitored. Median AQI: 35 (Good).
Insights: Kent County, Rhode Island. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 35 across 240 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 217 (90%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 23 (10%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 50, while the worst single-day peak hit 90 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 27.1 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (133 days), PM2.5 (107 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -109 and the median AQI moved +1 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 90, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Providence (69.5% good, AQI 40); Washington (75.7% good, AQI 42).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
90.4%
217 of 240 monitored days
15.4pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
90
Moderate
Health Grade
Excellent
90th-pct AQI 50
Kent County, Good days share 90.4%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Kent 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 240 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
217
90%
Moderate
23
10%
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 Kent County.
- Ozone · 133 days · 55.4%
- PM2.5 · 107 days · 44.6%
Health Impact Assessment
Excellent
Kent County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 90.4% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 90.4% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 35. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 133 of 240 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Kent County. Best year: 2022 (334 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 326 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 133 |
| 2021 | 313 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 140 |
| 2022 | 334 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 100 |
| 2023 | 287 | 66 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 126 |
| 2024 | 332 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 97 |
| 2025 | 217 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 90 |
How does Kent County compare?
How Kent County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Kent County 90.4%
Providence County, Rhode Island 69.5%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI better than US avg
Kent County 35
Providence County, Rhode Island 40
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Kent County 0
Providence County, Rhode Island 1
US average 0
Other Counties in Rhode Island
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Rhode Island.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Kent County.
Androscoggin County, Maine
AQI 35 · 85.5% good
Asotin County, Washington
AQI 35 · 73.8% good
Benton County, Washington
AQI 35 · 88.9% good
Benzie County, Michigan
AQI 35 · 91.1% good
Brooke County, West Virginia
AQI 35 · 79.3% good
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
AQI 35 · 87.5% good
What Kent 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 35 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Kent County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Kent County with its Rhode Island neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Rhode Island
Based on 240 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 Kent County, Rhode Island? ▼
Kent County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 35, rated "Good." 90.4% of monitored days (217 out of 240) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Kent County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Kent County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 133 days (55% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Kent County have? ▼
In 2025, Kent County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 90.
Is the air quality in Kent County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Kent County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 334 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 217 good days.
What does AQI 35 mean for health? ▼
Kent County's median AQI of 35 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 Kent County compare to other counties in Rhode Island? ▼
Kent County has 90.4% good air days. Nearby counties in Rhode Island: Providence (69.5% good), Washington (75.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Kent County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Kent County is 50, 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.