Median AQI
44
Good
South Dakota · County air quality · 2025
Jackson County, South Dakota
Median AQI 44 (Good). 78.5% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 44
- Median AQI
- 78.5%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 47%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Jackson County's air is good on balance, more polluted than the median US county, a median AQI of 44 with 78.5% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 44
- median AQI · Good
- 78.5%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 47%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 77.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 142 d · 78.5%
- Moderate · 39 d · 21.5%
How did Jackson County's air break down in 2025?
Across 181 monitored days, 142 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 77 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 44 (Good).
Insights: Jackson County, South Dakota. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 44 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 142 (78%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 39 (22%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 54, while the worst single-day peak hit 77 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 23.5 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (102 days), PM2.5 (79 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -182 and the median AQI moved +5 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 77, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Brookings (53.0% good, AQI 48); Brown (87.1% good, AQI 25); Clay (82.6% good, AQI 37); Codington (82.1% good, AQI 33); Custer (72.4% good, AQI 46); Hughes (94.4% good, AQI 14).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
78.5%
142 of 181 monitored days
3.5pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
77
Moderate
Health Grade
Good
90th-pct AQI 54
Jackson County, Good days share 78.5%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Jackson 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 181 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
142
78%
Moderate
39
22%
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 Jackson County.
- Ozone · 102 days · 56.4%
- PM2.5 · 79 days · 43.6%
Health Impact Assessment
Good
Jackson County's air quality is rated Good based on 78.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 78.5% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 44. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 102 of 181 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in Jackson County. Best year: 2020 (324 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 324 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 90 |
| 2021 | 309 | 54 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 233 |
| 2022 | 311 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 97 |
| 2023 | 277 | 80 | 3 | 4 | 43 | 233 |
| 2024 | 269 | 90 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 129 |
| 2025 | 142 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 77 |
How does Jackson County compare?
How Jackson County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Jackson County 78.5%
Brookings County, South Dakota 53.0%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Jackson County 44
Brookings County, South Dakota 48
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Jackson County 0
Brookings County, South Dakota 1
US average 0
Other Counties in South Dakota
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in South Dakota.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Jackson County.
Baltimore County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 70.4% good
Baltimore (City) County, Maryland
AQI 44 · 68.7% good
Bartholomew County, Indiana
AQI 44 · 69.2% good
Berks County, Pennsylvania
AQI 44 · 65.6% good
Bolivar County, Mississippi
AQI 44 · 70.3% good
Brewster County, Texas
AQI 44 · 69.0% good
What Jackson 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 44 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Jackson County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Jackson County with its South Dakota neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of South Dakota
Based on 181 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 Jackson County, South Dakota? ▼
Jackson County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 44, rated "Good." 78.5% of monitored days (142 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Jackson County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Jackson County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 102 days (56% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Jackson County have? ▼
In 2025, Jackson County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 77.
Is the air quality in Jackson County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Jackson County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 324 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 142 good days.
What does AQI 44 mean for health? ▼
Jackson County's median AQI of 44 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 Jackson County compare to other counties in South Dakota? ▼
Jackson County has 78.5% good air days. Nearby counties in South Dakota: Brookings (53.0% good), Brown (87.1% good), Clay (82.6% good), Codington (82.1% good), Custer (72.4% good), Hughes (94.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Jackson County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Jackson County is 54, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 77 (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.