Metro area air quality · 2025
Mankato-North Mankato, MN
Median AQI 42 (Good). 65.3% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 65.3%
- Good-air days
- 5
- Unhealthy days
- 35%
- Cleaner than US metros
Mankato-North Mankato, MN posted a 2025 median AQI of 42 (Good) with 65.3% Good days
According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Mankato-North Mankato, MN CBSA recorded a median AQI of 42 across 357 monitored days in 2025, with 65.3% rated Good and 5 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 Mankato-North Mankato, MN CBSA's 65.3% Good-day share places it cleaner than 35% 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 Mankato-North Mankato, MN.
- 2024–2025 Good-day shift
- Mankato-North Mankato, MN's Good-day share moved +5.3 points from 2024 to 2025 (median AQI -3).
- Median AQI
- Median AQI: 42
Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 357 monitored days. EPA AQS →
The verdict
The Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro runs good on the EPA scale, more polluted than the median US metro, a median AQI of 42 with 65.3% of 357 monitored days in the Good band.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 65.3%
- days rated Good
- 35%
- cleaner than US metros
- 180
- worst single reading
5 days reached Unhealthy or worse across the metro's monitors in 2025.
Annual release change
What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release
- Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 80 to 180 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +100 points.
- Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro's Good-day share rose from 61.6% to 67.0% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +5.3 percentage points.
- Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro's Unhealthy-category days rose from 0 to 5 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +5 days.
- Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro's median AQI fell from 45 to 42 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -3 points.
Insights: Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 42 over 357 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 233 Good days (65%), 110 Moderate (31%), and 9 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (3%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 70 while the highest single-day reading hit 180 (Unhealthy). Metro residents averaged roughly 19.6 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.
Across the 2024–2025 trend window, the share of monitored days rated Good shifted by +5.3 points (measured against 146 monitored days in 2024 and 348 in 2025, so raw day counts are not comparable) and the median AQI moved -3 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as improving. The annual record contains 5 days at Unhealthy or worse. On those days, 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
65.3%
233 of 357 days
Max AQI
180
Unhealthy
Health Grade
Moderate
90th pct: 70
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 357 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
233
65%
Moderate
110
31%
USG
9
3%
Unhealthy
5
1%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Health Impact Assessment
The Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 65.3% good air days. There were 5 unhealthy days in 2025 when outdoor activity should be limited.
Air quality is acceptable most days, but 9 days reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" and peak AQI reached 180. Sensitive groups should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov.
How does the Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro compare?
How Mankato-North Mankato, MN compares
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is improving in the Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro. Highest Good-day share: 2025 (67.0%, 233 of 348 monitored days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 90 | 56 | 0 | 45 | 80 |
| 2025 | 233 | 110 | 5 | 42 | 180 |
Metros with a similar median AQI
CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Mankato-North Mankato, MN (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 Mankato-North Mankato, MN's 5 (independent of median AQI).
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 59
Eau Claire, WI
5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 38
Hobbs, NM
5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 44
Minot, ND
5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 36
Tucson, AZ
5 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 54
Appleton, WI
6 unhealthy-or-worse days · median AQI 38
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 Mankato-North Mankato, MN metro area? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Mankato-North Mankato, MN have? ▼
Is air quality in Mankato-North Mankato, MN getting better or worse? ▼
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Mankato-North Mankato, MN? ▼
How does Mankato-North Mankato, MN 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.