Metro area air quality · 2025

Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI

Median AQI 42 (Good). 79.4% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

42
Median AQI
79.4%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
66%
Cleaner than US metros

Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI posted a 2025 median AQI of 42 (Good) with 79.4% Good days

According to the U.S. EPA Air Quality System, the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI CBSA recorded a median AQI of 42 across 199 monitored days in 2025, with 79.4% rated Good and 0 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 Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI CBSA's 79.4% Good-day share places it cleaner than 66% 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 Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI.
2020–2025 Good-day shift
Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI's Good-day share moved -12.2 points from 2020 to 2025 (median AQI +3).
Median AQI
Median AQI: 42

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 199 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI's Good-day share (79.4%) sits in the middle CBSA tercile on this extract. On the EPA scale the metro runs good, cleaner than the median US metro, with a median AQI of 42 and 79.4% of 199 monitored days in the Good band.

42
median AQI · Good
79.4%
days rated Good
66%
cleaner than US metros
112
worst single reading

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

Annual release change

What changed in the 2025 EPA annual release

2024 → 2025
  • Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro's Good-day share fell from 82.0% to 80.6% between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of -1.4 percentage points.
  • Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro's peak single-day AQI rose from 100 to 112 between the 2024 and 2025 EPA annual releases, a change of +12 points.

Compared against 206 monitored days in 2024 and 196 in 2025. These are arithmetic differences between two stored EPA annual summaries, not a cause claim or a live advisory.

National release changes Two-year CSV

Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI's Good-day share (79.4%) sits in the middle CBSA tercile on this extract. Signature read: 79.4% Good-day share (mid tercile vs CBSA corpus). Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 42 over 199 measured days in 2025 (Good / Good). The monitored-day split lands at 158 Good (79%), 38 Moderate (19%), and 3 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (2%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 67; the highest single-day reading hit 112 (USG).

Across 2020–2025, Good-day share shifted -12.2 points and median AQI moved +3 (worsening). No Unhealthy-tier days appear in this annual dataset. 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).

Understanding AQI →

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

42

Good

Good Days

79.4%

158 of 199 days

Max AQI

112

USG

Health Grade

Good

90th pct: 67

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 199 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

158

79%

Moderate

38

19%

USG

3

2%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Good

The Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro area's air quality is rated Good based on 79.4% 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 Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro compare?

How Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI compares

Good-day share better than typical
Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI 79.4%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 66.8%
Typical US metro 70.6%
Median AQI worse than typical
Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI 42
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 42
Typical US metro 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than typical
Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI 0
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 0
Typical US metro 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is worsening in the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro. Highest Good-day share: 2020 (92.8%, 180 of 194 monitored days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 180 14 0 39
2021 184 36 0 41
2022 181 16 0 39
2023 138 48 0 44
2024 169 37 0 42
2025 158 38 0 42

Metros with a similar median AQI

CBSA peers nationwide whose annual median AQI sits near Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI (42).

Metros with similar unhealthy-day exposure

A second relationship type: metros whose unhealthy-or-worse day count is closest to Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI's 0 (independent of median AQI).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many unhealthy air days does Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI have?
In 2025, the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 112.
What is the air quality in the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro area?
The Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 42, rated "Good." 79.4% of monitored days (158 out of 199) had good air quality in 2025.
Is air quality in Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI getting better or worse?
Air quality in the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro is worsening across floor-qualifying years (2020-2025); years with fewer than 100 monitored days are excluded from that direction. Highest qualifying Good-day share: 2020 at 92.8% (180 of 194 days). Lowest qualifying Good-day share: 2023 at 74.2% (138 of 186 days).
What does AQI 42 mean for health?
An AQI of 42 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 Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI compare to other metro areas?
The Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro has 79.4% good air days. Similar metros: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ (66.8% good), Amarillo, TX (78.4% good), Carson City, NV (86.2% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI for Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI?
The 90th percentile AQI for the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI metro area is 67, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 112 (USG).

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by CBSA dataset for Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI, 2025. See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.

Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by CBSA summary, Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI · 2020–2025