Metro area air quality · 2025

Fort Dodge, IA

Median AQI 45 (Good). 59.2% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

45
Median AQI
59.2%
Good-air days
2
Unhealthy days
24%
Cleaner than US metros

Fort Dodge, IA posted a 2025 median AQI of 45 (Good) with 59.2% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Fort Dodge, IA CBSA recorded a median AQI of 45 across 184 monitored days in 2025, with 59.2% rated Good and 2 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 Fort Dodge, IA CBSA's 59.2% Good-day share places it cleaner than 24% of US metros in 2025.
Closest median-AQI peer
Akron, OH (61.6% Good, median AQI 45) is the closest nationwide median-AQI peer to Fort Dodge, IA.
Median AQI
Median AQI: 45
Good days
Good days: 59.2%

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 184 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

Fort Dodge, IA lands in the lower Good-day tercile (59.2% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, among the more polluted US metros, with a median AQI of 45 and 59.2% of 184 monitored days in the Good band.

45
median AQI · Good
59.2%
days rated Good
24%
cleaner than US metros
165
worst single reading

2 days reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Fort Dodge, IA lands in the lower Good-day tercile (59.2% Good), a thinner clean-air share than most CBSA peers here. Signature read: 59.2% Good-day share (low tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 45 over 184 measured days in 2025 (Good / Moderate). The monitored-day split lands at 109 Good (59%), 71 Moderate (39%), and 2 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 65; the highest single-day reading hit 165 (Unhealthy).

Across 2025–2025, Good-day share shifted an amount the record cannot support and median AQI moved +0 (tracked). The annual record contains 2 days at Unhealthy or worse. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Akron, OH (61.6% good, AQI 45); Ardmore, OK (67.9% good, AQI 45); Asheville, NC (69.9% good, AQI 45).

Health effects of air pollution →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

45

Good

Good Days

59.2%

109 of 184 days

Max AQI

165

Unhealthy

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 65

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 184 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

109

59%

Moderate

71

39%

USG

2

1%

Unhealthy

2

1%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Fort Dodge, IA metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 59.2% good air days. There were 2 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.

Air quality is acceptable most days, but 2 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 165. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.

How does the Fort Dodge, IA metro compare?

How Fort Dodge, IA compares

Good-day share worse than typical
Fort Dodge, IA 59.2%
Akron, OH 61.6%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Fort Dodge, IA 45
Akron, OH 45
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr worse than typical
Fort Dodge, IA 2
Akron, OH 0
Typical US metro 1

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Fort Dodge, IA (45).

Akron, OH

Median AQI 45 · 61.6% Good-day share

45

Ardmore, OK

Median AQI 45 · 67.9% Good-day share

45

Asheville, NC

Median AQI 45 · 69.9% Good-day share

45

Cheyenne, WY

Median AQI 45 · 75.1% Good-day share

45

Clinton, IA

Median AQI 45 · 59.5% Good-day share

45

Gadsden, AL

Median AQI 45 · 61.4% Good-day share

45

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Fort Dodge, IA's 2 (independent of median AQI).

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44

44

Chattanooga, TN-GA

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 49

49

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 56

56

Columbus, GA-AL

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 48

48

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 46

46

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

2 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 52

52

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Fort Dodge, IA have? ▼
In 2025, the Fort Dodge, IA metro area recorded 2 unhealthy air days (2 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 165.
What is the air quality in the Fort Dodge, IA metro area? ▼
The Fort Dodge, IA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 45, rated "Good." 59.2% of monitored days (109 out of 184) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Fort Dodge, IA getting better or worse? ▼
Insufficient floor-qualifying trend data is available for the Fort Dodge, IA metro area (need ≥100 monitored days in at least two years).
What does AQI 45 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 45 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
How does Fort Dodge, IA compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Fort Dodge, IA metro has 59.2% good air days. Similar metros: Akron, OH (61.6% good), Ardmore, OK (67.9% good), Asheville, NC (69.9% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Fort Dodge, IA? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Fort Dodge, IA metro area is 65, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 165 (Unhealthy).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Fort Dodge, IA, 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, Fort Dodge, IA · 2020–2025