Metro area air quality · 2025

Yakima, WA

Median AQI 34 (Good). 81.1% of monitored days rated Good across this metro's EPA monitoring network.

34
Median AQI
81.1%
Good-air days
0
Unhealthy days
67%
Cleaner than US metros

Aggregated from EPA Air Quality System (2025), 243 monitored days. EPA AQS →

The verdict

The Yakima, WA metro runs good on the EPA scale, cleaner than the median US metro, a median AQI of 34 with 81.1% of 243 monitored days in the Good band.

34
median AQI · Good
81.1%
days rated Good
67%
cleaner than US metros
87
worst single reading

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

Insights: Yakima, WA metro. Aggregated EPA AQS monitors across this Core-Based Statistical Area logged a median Air Quality Index of 34 over 243 measured days in 2025, which corresponds to a Good band and a Good metro-wide health grade. The monitored-day split lands at 197 Good days (81%), 46 Moderate (19%), and 0 Unhealthy-for-Sensitive-Groups (0%). The 90th-percentile AQI finished at 58 while the highest single-day reading hit 87 (Moderate). Metro residents averaged roughly 24.3 clean-air days per 30-day window across the reporting year.

Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -1 and the median AQI moved -12 points, which classifies the multi-year trajectory as improving. 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 Bangor, ME (86.1% good, AQI 34); Baraboo, WI (79.6% good, AQI 34); Dyersburg, TN (79.4% good, AQI 34).

Air Quality Summary

Median AQI

34

Good

Good Days

81.1%

197 of 243 days

Max AQI

87

Moderate

Health Grade

Good

90th pct: 58

AQI Day Breakdown (2025)

Distribution of 243 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.

Good

197

81%

Moderate

46

19%

USG

0

0%

Unhealthy

0

0%

Very Unhealthy

0

0%

Hazardous

0

0%

Health Impact Assessment

Good

The Yakima, WA metro area's air quality is rated Good based on 81.1% 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 Yakima, WA metro compare?

How Yakima, WA compares

Good-day share better than US avg
Yakima, WA 81.1%
Bangor, ME 86.1%
US average 71.3%
Median AQI better than US avg
Yakima, WA 34
Bangor, ME 34
US average 41
Unhealthy days / yr better than US avg
Yakima, WA 0
Bangor, ME 0
US average 1

5-Year Air Quality Trend

Air quality is improving in the Yakima, WA metro. Best year: 2024 (248 good days).

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy Median AQI
2020 198 153 2 46
2021 175 163 14 52
2022 178 181 1 51
2023 203 158 1 46
2024 248 111 1 37
2025 197 46 0 34

Metros with Similar Air Quality

Metro areas across the US with a similar median AQI to Yakima, WA.

Bangor, ME

AQI 34 · 86.1% good

34

Baraboo, WI

AQI 34 · 79.6% good

34

Dyersburg, TN

AQI 34 · 79.4% good

34

Fairmont, WV

AQI 34 · 72.9% good

34

Laconia, NH

AQI 34 · 87.9% good

34

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

AQI 34 · 94.4% good

34

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 Yakima, WA metro area? ▼
The Yakima, WA metro area has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 34, rated "Good." 81.1% of monitored days (197 out of 243) had good air quality in 2025.
How many unhealthy air days does Yakima, WA have? ▼
In 2025, the Yakima, WA metro area recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 87.
Is air quality in Yakima, WA getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in the Yakima, WA metro is improving based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2024 with 248 good days. Worst year: 2021 with 175 good days.
What does AQI 34 mean for health? ▼
An AQI of 34 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 Yakima, WA? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for the Yakima, WA metro area is 58, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 87 (Moderate).
How does Yakima, WA compare to other metro areas? ▼
The Yakima, WA metro has 81.1% good air days. Similar metros: Bangor, ME (86.1% good), Baraboo, WI (79.6% good), Dyersburg, TN (79.4% 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.