State air quality · 2024

Idaho Air Quality

Across 19 monitored counties, Idaho averages a median AQI of 30 (Good) and 85.1% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

30
Avg median AQI
85.1%
Good-air days
19
Counties monitored
79%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 19 monitored counties, Idaho averages a good median AQI of 30, cleaner than most US states, with 85.1% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Custer and Shoshone County is the real story.

30
avg median AQI · Good
85.1%
days in the Good band
14/19
counties ≥75% Good days
79%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Custer County (100.0% Good days). Most polluted: Shoshone County (65.7%).

Data updated July 2026

Idaho: 19 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 30 (Good), 85.1% good-air days, 0 total unhealthy days (0.0%). Best: Custer County (100.0%). Worst: Shoshone County (65.7%). Worst single reading: AQI 111. EPA AQS methodology + AQI interpretation →

A statewide average smooths over real differences between counties, so it should be read as a starting point rather than a verdict on any one place. Within almost every state, a handful of urban or wildfire-prone counties carry most of the unhealthy days while rural counties sit near the clean end of the scale, and the gap between the best and worst county is often wider than the gap between two neighboring states. Coverage matters too: the Environmental Protection Agency places monitors where population density, emission sources, or attainment status warrant them, so a state with few monitored counties is described by a thinner sample than one blanketed with stations. The figures here count only the days each monitor actually reported, which keeps lightly monitored and heavily monitored counties on comparable footing but cannot speak for the roughly two thousand U.S. counties that have no monitor at all. For a fuller picture, open the individual county profiles below and compare the primary pollutant, the share of Good days, and the five-year trend for the places that matter to you.

Counties Monitored

19

Avg Good Days %

85.1%

Avg Median AQI

30

Total Unhealthy Days

0

Best Air Quality

Custer County

Worst Air Quality

Shoshone County

Which counties in Idaho have the cleanest and most polluted air?

Cleanest counties in Idaho

Share of monitored days rated Good (AQI 0–50)

  1. 1 Custer County 100%
  2. 2 Blaine County 99.4%
  3. 3 Latah County 99.4%
  4. 4 Twin Falls County 97.2%
  5. 5 Franklin County 95.8%
  6. 6 Bonneville County 94.9%
  7. 7 Bannock County 91.5%
  8. 8 Kootenai County 88.4%
  9. 9 Butte County 87.4%
  10. 10 Canyon County 87.2%
  11. 11 Nez Perce County 84%
  12. 12 Ada County 80.6%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Custer 100.0% 3
Blaine 99.4% 22
Latah 99.3% 24
Twin Falls 97.2% 24
Franklin 95.8% 22
Bonneville 94.9% 19
Bannock 91.5% 31
Kootenai 88.4% 24
Butte 87.4% 44
Canyon 87.2% 30
Nez Perce 84.0% 29
Ada 80.6% 39
Idaho 79.8% 39
Valley 78.1% 32
Benewah 74.6% 37
Boise 72.9% 43
Bonner 71.3% 41
Lemhi 69.1% 23
Shoshone 65.7% 37

Reading Idaho's air quality

A statewide average is a starting point, not a verdict, what matters is the county you actually breathe in.

  • Open your county's profile for its primary pollutant, Good-day share, and where it sits among 19 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Custer County (100.0% Good days) and Shoshone County (65.7%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 30 means for sensitive groups. Understand AQI

Figures count only days each EPA monitor reported; roughly two thousand U.S. counties have no monitor and are not represented. Data: EPA AQS annual summaries, 2020–2025.

Explore Idaho air quality

Dig into the cleanest and most-polluted counties, metro areas, and national rankings.

Air Quality Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality in Idaho?
Idaho has 19 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 30, and 85.1% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Idaho has the best air quality?
Custer County has the best air quality in Idaho based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Idaho has the worst air quality?
Shoshone County has the worst air quality in Idaho. The state recorded 0 total unhealthy air days across all 19 monitored counties.
How many counties in Idaho have air quality monitors?
19 counties in Idaho have active EPA Air Quality System (AQS) monitoring stations. Only counties with monitors are included in AQI data. Unmonitored counties are not represented.
How many unhealthy air days does Idaho have?
Idaho recorded 0 total unhealthy air days across all 19 monitored counties. These include days rated Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, or Hazardous on the EPA AQI scale.

Data Sources

Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by County dataset, 2020–2025. See our methodology for how AQI and median figures are computed.

Coverage: 19 counties in Idaho with active monitoring stations. Unmonitored counties are not represented.

Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by county summary files, aggregated to the state 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.

Informational only, not professional advice. Data from EPA AQS. See our disclaimer.