Tennessee · County air quality · 2025

Madison County, Tennessee

Median AQI 33 (Good). 79.6% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.

33
Median AQI
79.6%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
51%
Cleaner than US counties

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Madison County's air is good on balance, cleaner than the median US county, a median AQI of 33 with 79.6% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM2.5.

33
median AQI · Good
79.6%
days rated Good
PM2.5
main pollutant
51%
cleaner than US counties

Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 68.

Data updated July 2026

Madison 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 181 monitored days G M Median AQI 33 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 Madison County
  • Good · 144 d · 79.6%
  • Moderate · 37 d · 20.4%

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

Across 181 monitored days, 144 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 68 (Moderate).

EPA AQS →

Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 33 (Good).

Insights: Madison County, Tennessee. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 33 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Good health grade. Of those days, 144 (80%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 37 (20%) 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 68 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 23.9 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.

The full pollutant mix ranks as PM2.5 (181 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -160 and the median AQI moved +0 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 68, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Anderson (91.0% good, AQI 42); Blount (69.6% good, AQI 46); Claiborne (96.3% good, AQI 36); Davidson (51.8% good, AQI 50); DeKalb (95.4% good, AQI 35); Dyer (79.4% good, AQI 34).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

33

Good

Good Days

79.6%

144 of 181 monitored days

4.6pp vs 75% target

Max AQI Recorded

68

Moderate

Health Grade

Good

90th-pct AQI 54

Madison County, Good days share 79.6%
National avg

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

Madison 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

144

80%

Moderate

37

20%

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 Madison County.

Madison County, Tennessee 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 · 100.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Madison County, Tennessee · 181 monitored days Criteria pollutant column
  • PM2.5 · 181 days · 100.0%
Fine Particles (PM2.5) 181 days (100%)

How PM2.5 affects health →

Health Impact Assessment

Good

Madison County's air quality is rated Good based on 79.6% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality was acceptable on 79.6% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 33. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

The dominant pollutant is PM2.5, driving AQI on 181 of 181 monitored days.

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in Madison County. Best year: 2020 (304 good days).

Year Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 304 49 1 0 33
2021 249 106 1 0 38
2022 245 113 1 0 41
2023 237 120 0 0 43
2024 289 68 0 0 33
2025 144 37 0 0 33

How does Madison County compare?

How Madison County compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Madison County 79.6%
Anderson County, Tennessee 91.0%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI better than US avg
Madison County 33
Anderson County, Tennessee 42
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Madison County 0
Anderson County, Tennessee 0
US average 0

Other Counties in Tennessee

Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Tennessee.

Counties with Similar Air Quality

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

What Madison 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 33 means for exposure. Health guidance
  • See how Madison County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
  • Compare Madison County with its Tennessee neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Tennessee

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 Madison County, Tennessee?
Madison County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 33, rated "Good." 79.6% of monitored days (144 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Madison County?
The primary pollutant in Madison County is Fine Particles (PM2.5), which was the main AQI driver on 181 days (100% of monitored days). Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Linked to heart disease and premature death.
How many unhealthy air days does Madison County have?
In 2025, Madison County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 68.
Is the air quality in Madison County getting better or worse?
Air quality in Madison County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 304 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 144 good days.
What does AQI 33 mean for health?
Madison County's median AQI of 33 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 Madison County compare to other counties in Tennessee?
Madison County has 79.6% good air days. Nearby counties in Tennessee: Anderson (91.0% good), Blount (69.6% good), Claiborne (96.3% good), Davidson (51.8% good), DeKalb (95.4% good), Dyer (79.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Madison County?
The 90th percentile AQI for Madison County is 54, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 68 (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.