Median AQI
74
Moderate
Texas · County air quality · 2025
El Paso County, Texas
Median AQI 74 (Moderate). 12.7% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 74
- Median AQI
- 12.7%
- Good-air days
- 30
- Unhealthy days
- 0%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, El Paso County's air is moderate on balance, among the most polluted counties nationally, a median AQI of 74 with 12.7% of 244 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by PM10.
- 74
- median AQI · Moderate
- 12.7%
- days rated Good
- PM10
- main pollutant
- 0%
- cleaner than US counties
30 days reached Unhealthy or worse; the worst single reading hit AQI 2122 - a reading beyond the EPA’s standard 0–500 AQI scale, reflecting an extreme wildfire-smoke event or a transient monitor anomaly.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 31 d · 12.7%
- Moderate · 155 d · 63.5%
- USG · 28 d · 11.5%
- Unhealthy · 12 d · 4.9%
- Very Unhealthy · 6 d · 2.5%
- Hazardous · 12 d · 4.9%
How did El Paso County's air break down in 2025?
Across 244 monitored days, 31 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 30 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 2122 (Hazardous) - a reading beyond the EPA’s standard 0–500 AQI scale, reflecting an extreme wildfire-smoke event or a transient monitor anomaly.
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 244 days monitored. Median AQI: 74 (Moderate).
Insights: El Paso County, Texas. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 74 across 244 measured days in 2025, earning a Moderate classification and a Very Poor health grade. Of those days, 31 (13%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 155 (64%) registered Moderate readings, and 28 (11%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 158, while the worst single-day peak hit 2122 (Hazardous). Residents averaged about 3.8 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as PM10 (114 days), Ozone (78 days), PM2.5 (49 days), NO2 (2 days), CO (1 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -64 and the median AQI moved +15 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at worsening. Residents and visitors experienced 30 unhealthy-or-worse days combined, periods when the EPA recommends sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Atascosa (58.0% good, AQI 45); Bell (61.3% good, AQI 47); Bexar (39.8% good, AQI 53); Bowie (57.3% good, AQI 47); Brazoria (84.8% good, AQI 33); Brazos (63.4% good, AQI 43).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
12.7%
31 of 244 monitored days
-62.3pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
2122
Hazardous
Health Grade
Very Poor
90th-pct AQI 158
El Paso County, Good days share 12.7%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
El Paso County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 12.3%
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 244 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
31
13%
Moderate
155
64%
USG
28
11%
Unhealthy
12
5%
Very Unhealthy
6
2%
Hazardous
12
5%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in El Paso County.
- PM10 · 114 days · 46.7%
- Ozone · 78 days · 32.0%
- PM2.5 · 49 days · 20.1%
- NO₂ · 2 days · 0.8%
- CO · 1 days · 0.4%
Health Impact Assessment
Very Poor
El Paso County's air quality is rated Very Poor based on 12.7% good air days. There were 30 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality posed significant health risk in 2025. Sensitive groups, including people with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, children, pregnant women, and adults over 65, should monitor AirNow.gov alerts and limit outdoor activity on Unhealthy (AQI 151+) and Very Unhealthy (201+) days. Peak readings reached AQI 2122, beyond EPA's standard 0-500 scale, indicating an extreme event.
Sensitive group advisory
People with asthma, COPD, heart disease, children, pregnant women, and adults 65+ should follow EPA AQI alerts daily and limit outdoor exertion when AQI exceeds 100. Real-time conditions: airnow.gov.
Note: EPA's standard AQI scale caps at 500 (Hazardous category 301-500). The 2122 peak reading represents an extreme event, typically wildfire smoke, extrapolated beyond the index's design range. See EPA wildfire smoke guidance.
The dominant pollutant is PM10, driving AQI on 114 of 244 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in El Paso County. Best year: 2020 (95 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 95 | 252 | 17 | 2 | 59 | 192 |
| 2021 | 91 | 255 | 19 | 0 | 59 | 150 |
| 2022 | 72 | 273 | 19 | 1 | 59 | 163 |
| 2023 | 69 | 277 | 18 | 1 | 64 | 155 |
| 2024 | 81 | 222 | 51 | 7 | 67 | 431 |
| 2025 | 31 | 155 | 28 | 12 | 74 | 2122 |
How does El Paso County compare?
How El Paso County compares
Good-day share worse than US avg
El Paso County 12.7%
Atascosa County, Texas 58.0%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
El Paso County 74
Atascosa County, Texas 45
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr worse than US avg
El Paso County 30
Atascosa County, Texas 0
US average 0
Other Counties in Texas
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in Texas.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to El Paso County.
Los Angeles County, California
AQI 77 · 10.9% good
Maricopa County, Arizona
AQI 71 · 16.4% good
Dona Ana County, New Mexico
AQI 70 · 19.4% good
Pinal County, Arizona
AQI 66 · 24.6% good
Clark County, Nevada
AQI 64 · 25.6% good
Imperial County, California
AQI 64 · 27.4% good
What El Paso County's air means for you
On most days the air here is fine, but PM10 drives 30 unhealthy-or-worse days a year that sensitive groups should plan around.
- Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-PM10 days, the guide explains what a median of 74 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how El Paso County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare El Paso County with its Texas neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of Texas
Based on 244 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 El Paso County, Texas? ▼
El Paso County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 74, rated "Moderate." 12.7% of monitored days (31 out of 244) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in El Paso County? ▼
The primary pollutant in El Paso County is Coarse Particles (PM10), which was the main AQI driver on 114 days (47% of monitored days). Irritates airways and can aggravate asthma and bronchitis.
How many unhealthy air days does El Paso County have? ▼
In 2025, El Paso County recorded 30 unhealthy air days (12 Unhealthy, 6 Very Unhealthy, 12 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 2122 - a reading beyond the EPA’s standard 0–500 AQI scale, reflecting an extreme wildfire-smoke event or a transient monitor anomaly.
Is the air quality in El Paso County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in El Paso County is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2020 with 95 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 31 good days.
What does AQI 74 mean for health? ▼
El Paso County's median AQI of 74 falls in the "Moderate" category. See the <a href="/guides/understanding-aqi" class="underline">AQI category guide</a> for what each range means for health.
How does El Paso County compare to other counties in Texas? ▼
El Paso County has 12.7% good air days. Nearby counties in Texas: Atascosa (58.0% good), Bell (61.3% good), Bexar (39.8% good), Bowie (57.3% good), Brazoria (84.8% good), Brazos (63.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in El Paso County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for El Paso County is 158, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 2122 - a reading beyond the EPA’s standard 0–500 AQI scale, reflecting an extreme wildfire-smoke event or a transient monitor anomaly (Hazardous).
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.