South Carolina · County air quality · 2025

Greenville County, South Carolina

Median AQI 48 (Good). 53.9% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

48
Median AQI
53.9%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
9%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Greenville County's air is good on balance, among the most polluted counties nationally, a median AQI of 48 with 53.9% of 273 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.

48
median AQI · Good
53.9%
days rated Good
PM2.5
main pollutant
9%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 93.

Data updated July 2026

Greenville 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 273 monitored days G M Median AQI 48 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Greenville County
  • Good · 147 d · 53.8%
  • Moderate · 126 d · 46.2%

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

Across 273 monitored days, 147 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 93 (Moderate).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 273 days monitored. Median AQI: 48 (Good).

Insights: Greenville County, South Carolina. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 48 across 273 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Moderate health grade. Of those days, 147 (54%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 126 (46%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 64, while the worst single-day peak hit 93 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 16.2 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (145 days), Ozone (128 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -87 and the median AQI moved +4 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 93, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Aiken (89.1% good, AQI 39); Anderson (90.0% good, AQI 41); Berkeley (92.2% good, AQI 36); Charleston (59.0% good, AQI 47); Chesterfield (61.2% good, AQI 46); Darlington (87.3% good, AQI 42).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

48

Good

Good Days

53.9%

147 of 273 monitored days

-21.1pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

93

Moderate

Health Grade

Moderate

90th-pct AQI 64

Greenville County, Good days share 53.8%
National avg

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

Greenville 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

147

54%

Moderate

126

46%

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 Greenville County.

Greenville County, South Carolina 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. PM2.5 · 53.1% Ozone · 46.9% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Greenville County, South Carolina · 273 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • PM2.5 · 145 days · 53.1%
  • Ozone · 128 days · 46.9%
Fine Particles (PM2.5) 145 days (53%)

How PM2.5 affects health →

Ozone (O3) 128 days (47%)

How Ozone affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

Greenville County's air quality is rated Moderate based on 53.9% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 53.9% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 48. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 145 of 273 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Greenville County. Best year: 2020 (234 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 234 131 1 0 44
2021 180 184 1 0 51
2022 179 186 0 0 51
2023 167 196 2 0 52
2024 198 165 0 0 48
2025 147 126 0 0 48

How does Greenville County compare?

How Greenville County compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Greenville County 53.9%
Aiken County, South Carolina 89.1%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Greenville County 48
Aiken County, South Carolina 39
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Greenville County 0
Aiken County, South Carolina 0
US average 0

Other Counties in South Carolina

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in South Carolina.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Greenville 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 48 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Greenville County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Greenville County with its South Carolina neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of South 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 Greenville County, South Carolina?
Greenville County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 48, rated "Good." 53.9% of monitored days (147 out of 273) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Greenville County?
The primary pollutant in Greenville County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 145 days (53% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Greenville County have?
In 2025, Greenville County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 93.
Is the air quality in Greenville County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Greenville County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 234 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 147 good days.
What does AQI 48 mean for health?
Greenville County's median AQI of 48 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 Greenville County compare to other counties in South Carolina?
Greenville County has 53.9% good air days. Nearby counties in South Carolina: Aiken (89.1% good), Anderson (90.0% good), Berkeley (92.2% good), Charleston (59.0% good), Chesterfield (61.2% good), Darlington (87.3% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Greenville County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Greenville County is 64, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 93 (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.