Metro area air quality · 2025
Elko, NV
Median AQI 42 (Good). 86.3% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 86.3%
- Good-air days
- 1
- Unhealthy days
- 81%
- Cleaner than US metros
Elko, NV posted a 2025 median AQI of 42 (Good) with 86.3% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Elko, NV CBSA recorded a median AQI of 42 across 364 monitored days in 2025, with 86.3% rated Good and 1 unhealthy or worse. This is an annual metro comparison, not a live advisory.
Data source EPA Air Quality System (AQS)
- Cleaner than US metros
- The Elko, NV CBSA's 86.3% Good-day share places it cleaner than 81% of US metros in 2025.
- Closest median-AQI peer
- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (66.8% Good, median AQI 42) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Elko, NV.
- 2020–2025 Good-day shift
- Elko, NV's Good-day share moved +2.5 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +12).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 42
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 364 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
The Elko, NV metro runs good on the EPA scale, cleaner than most US metros, a median AQI of 42 with 86.3% of 364 monitored days in the Good band.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 86.3%
- days rated Good
- 81%
- cleaner than US metros
- 160
- worst single reading
1 day reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Annual release change
What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release
- Elko, NV metro's median AQI rose from 23 to 42 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +19 points.
- Elko, NV metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 113 to 160 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +47 points.
- Elko, NV metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 0 to 1 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +1 days.
Insights: Elko, NV metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 42 over 364 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Good metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 314 Good days (86%), 48 Moderate (13%), and 1 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (0%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 54 while the highest single-day reading hit 160 (Unhealthy). Metro residents averaged roughly 25.9 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.
Across the 2020–2025 trend window, the share of monitored days rated Good shifted by +2.5 points and the median AQI moved +12 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as worsening. The annual record contains 1 day at Unhealthy or worse. On that day, the EPA recommends that sensitive groups limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (66.8% good, AQI 42); Amarillo, TX (78.4% good, AQI 42); Carson City, NV (86.2% good, AQI 42).
Air Quality Summary
Median AQI
42
Good
Good Days
86.3%
314 of 364 days
Max AQI
160
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Good
90th pct: 54
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 364 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
314
86%
Moderate
48
13%
USG
1
0%
Unhealthy
1
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Elko, NV metro area's air quality is rated Good based on 86.3% good air days. There were 1 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 1 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 160. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
How does the Elko, NV metro compare?
How Elko, NV compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is worsening in the Elko, NV metro. Highest Good-day share: 2022 (88.4%, 321 of 363 monitored days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 304 | 55 | 3 | 30 | 169 |
| 2021 | 282 | 73 | 1 | 42 | 156 |
| 2022 | 321 | 42 | 0 | 38 | 149 |
| 2023 | 318 | 46 | 0 | 31 | 74 |
| 2024 | 318 | 46 | 0 | 23 | 113 |
| 2025 | 314 | 48 | 1 | 42 | 160 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Elko, NV (42).
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
Median AQI 42 · 66.8% Good-day share
Amarillo, TX
Median AQI 42 · 78.4% Good-day share
Carson City, NV
Median AQI 42 · 86.2% Good-day share
Casper, WY
Median AQI 42 · 86.3% Good-day share
Clarksville, TN-KY
Median AQI 42 · 72.0% Good-day share
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
Median AQI 42 · 75.5% Good-day share
Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure
A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Elko, NV's 1 (independent of median AQI).
Ann Arbor, MI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 41
Bangor, ME
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 33
Baraboo, WI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 35
Bartlesville, OK
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52
Beaver Dam, WI
1 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 40
More Air Quality Data
Explore EPA air quality rankings and guides across U.S. metros and counties.
Cleanest Metro Areas
U.S. metros ranked by their share of Good air-quality days.
Worst Air Quality
Counties and metros with the most unhealthy air days.
All Metro Areas
Annual AQI by CBSA for every monitored U.S. metro area.
Best and Worst City Air
What drives urban air quality and how metro areas compare.
Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in the Elko, NV metro area? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Elko, NV have? ▼
Is air quality in Elko, NV getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Elko, NV? ▼
How does Elko, NV compare to other metro areas? ▼
Data Sources
Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset, 2020–2025. See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.
Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by CBSA summary files (metro-level) · 2020–2025
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Every figure on PlainAirData 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.