Metro area air quality · 2025

Middlesborough, KY

Median AQI 43 (Good). 63.5% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

43
Median AQI
63.5%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
31%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 181 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Middlesborough, KY metro runs good on the EPA scale, more polluted than the median US metro, a median AQI of 43 with 63.5% of 181 monitored days in the Good band.

43
median AQI · Good
63.5%
days rated Good
31%
cleaner than US metros
101
worst single reading

No day crossed into the Unhealthy tier across the metro's monitors in 2025.

Insights: Middlesborough, KY metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 43 over 181 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Moderate metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 115 Good days (64%), 65 Moderate (36%), and 1 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (1%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 62 while the highest single-day reading hit 101 (USG). Metro residents averaged roughly 19.1 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -127 and the median AQI moved +9 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as worsening. The metro avoided any Unhealthy-tier days entirely, an outcome that typically reflects favorable wind patterns, lower industrial density, or effective regional emission controls. Metros with comparable AQI profiles include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (65.6% good, AQI 43); Amarillo, TX (75.7% good, AQI 43); Ashtabula, OH (81.2% good, AQI 43).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

43

Good

Good Days

63.5%

115 of 181 days

Max AQI

101

USG

Health Grade

Moderate

90th pct: 62

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 181 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

115

64%

Moderate

65

36%

USG

1

1%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Moderate

The Middlesborough, KY metro area's air quality is rated Moderate based on 63.5% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.

Air quality is generally acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should monitor real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.

How does the Middlesborough, KY metro compare?

How Middlesborough, KY compares

Good-day share worse than US avg
Middlesborough, KY 63.5%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 65.6%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Middlesborough, KY 43
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 43
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Middlesborough, KY 0
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Middlesborough, KY metro. Best year: 2024 (244 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 242 21 0 34
2021 164 198 0 52
2022 197 168 0 48
2023 185 177 0 49
2024 244 121 0 44
2025 115 65 0 43

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Middlesborough, KY.

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

AQI 43 · 65.6% good

43

Amarillo, TX

AQI 43 · 75.7% good

43

Ashtabula, OH

AQI 43 · 81.2% good

43

College Station-Bryan, TX

AQI 43 · 63.4% good

43

Fallon, NV

AQI 43 · 81.0% good

43

Gillette, WY

AQI 43 · 77.3% good

43

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 Middlesborough, KY metro area? ▼
The Middlesborough, KY metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 43, rated "Good." 63.5% of monitored days (115 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Middlesborough, KY have? ▼
In 2025, the Middlesborough, KY metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 101.
Is air quality in Middlesborough, KY getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Middlesborough, KY metro is worsening based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 244 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 115 good days.
What does AQI 43 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 43 is "Good", air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk. This is the best category on the EPA's AQI scale.
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Middlesborough, KY? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Middlesborough, KY metro area is 62, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 101 (USG).
How does Middlesborough, KY compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Middlesborough, KY metro has 63.5% good air days. Similar metros: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (65.6% good), Amarillo, TX (75.7% good), Ashtabula, OH (81.2% good).

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

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.