Median AQI
40
Good
Rhode Island · County air quality · 2025
Providence County, Rhode Island
Median AQI 40 (Good). 69.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 40
- Median AQI
- 69.5%
- Good-air days
- 1
- Unhealthy days
- 31%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Providence County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 40 with 69.5% of 249 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.
- 40
- median AQI · Good
- 69.5%
- days rated Good
- PM2.5
- main pollutant
- 31%
- cleaner than US counties
1 day reached Unhealthy or worse; the worst single reading hit AQI 196.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 173 d · 69.5%
- Moderate · 75 d · 30.1%
- Unhealthy · 1 d · 0.4%
How did Providence County's air break down in 2025?
Across 249 monitored days, 173 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 1 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 196 (Unhealthy).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 249 days monitored. Median AQI: 40 (Good).
Insights: Providence County, Rhode Island. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 40 across 249 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 173 (69%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 75 (30%) 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 196 (Unhealthy). Residents averaged about 20.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (218 days), Ozone (16 days), NO2 (8 days), PM10 (6 days), CO (1 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -53 and the median AQI moved -5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at improving. Residents and visitors experienced 1 unhealthy-or-worse days combined, periods when the EPA recommends sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Kent (90.4% good, AQI 35); Washington (75.7% good, AQI 42).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
69.5%
173 of 249 monitored days
-5.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
196
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Moderate
90th-pct AQI 61
Providence County, Good days share 69.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Providence County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 0.4%
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 249 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
173
69%
Moderate
75
30%
USG
0
0%
Unhealthy
1
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Providence County.
- PM2.5 · 218 days · 87.6%
- Ozone · 16 days · 6.4%
- NO₂ · 8 days · 3.2%
- PM10 · 6 days · 2.4%
- CO · 1 days · 0.4%
Health Impact Assessment
Moderate
Providence County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 69.5% good air days. There were 1 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 0 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" (AQI 101-150) and peak AQI reached 196. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 218 of 249 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in Providence County. Best year: 2024 (293 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 226 | 138 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 112 |
| 2021 | 219 | 142 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 136 |
| 2022 | 263 | 101 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 108 |
| 2023 | 217 | 144 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 125 |
| 2024 | 293 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 72 |
| 2025 | 173 | 75 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 196 |
How does Providence County compare?
How Providence County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
Providence County 69.5%
Kent County, Rhode Island 90.4%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Providence County 40
Kent County, Rhode Island 35
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr worse than US avg
Providence County 1
Kent County, Rhode Island 0
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 Providence 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 Providence County's air means for you
On most days the air here is fine, but PM2.5 drives 1 unhealthy-or-worse day a year that sensitive groups should plan around.
- 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 Providence County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Providence County with its Rhode Island neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Rhode Island
Based on 249 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 Providence County, Rhode Island? ▼
Providence County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 40, rated "Good." 69.5% of monitored days (173 out of 249) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Providence County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Providence County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 218 days (88% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Providence County have? ▼
In 2025, Providence County recorded 1 unhealthy air days (1 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 196.
Is the air quality in Providence County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Providence County is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 293 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 173 good days.
What does AQI 40 mean for health? ▼
Providence 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 Providence County compare to other counties in Rhode Island? ▼
Providence County has 69.5% good air days. Nearby counties in Rhode Island: Kent (90.4% good), Washington (75.7% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Providence County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Providence County is 61, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 196 (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.