State air quality · 2024

Indiana Air Quality

Across 33 monitored counties, Indiana averages a median AQI of 42 (Good) and 71.0% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

42
Avg median AQI
71.0%
Good-air days
33
Counties monitored
25%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 33 monitored counties, Indiana averages a good median AQI of 42, more polluted than the median US state, with 71.0% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Brown and Lake County is the real story.

42
avg median AQI · Good
71.0%
days in the Good band
10/33
counties ≥75% Good days
25%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Brown County (94.5% Good days). Most polluted: Lake County (38.8%).

Data updated July 2026

Indiana: 33 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 42 (Good), 71.0% good-air days, 7 total unhealthy days (0.1%). Best: Brown County (94.5%). Worst: Lake County (38.8%). Worst single reading: AQI 219. 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

33

Avg Good Days %

71.0%

Avg Median AQI

42

Total Unhealthy Days

7

Best Air Quality

Brown County

Worst Air Quality

Lake County

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

Cleanest counties in Indiana

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

  1. 1 Brown County 94.5%
  2. 2 Wabash County 93.9%
  3. 3 Knox County 93.1%
  4. 4 Perry County 90.4%
  5. 5 Hendricks County 90.1%
  6. 6 Shelby County 89.3%
  7. 7 Carroll County 87.8%
  8. 8 Posey County 87.8%
  9. 9 Boone County 86.9%
  10. 10 Warrick County 83.5%
  11. 11 Greene County 74.9%
  12. 12 Monroe County 71.8%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Brown 94.5% 37
Wabash 93.9% 37
Knox 93.1% 38
Perry 90.4% 38
Hendricks 90.1% 38
Shelby 89.3% 37
Carroll 87.8% 37
Posey 87.8% 39
Boone 86.9% 38
Warrick 83.5% 40
Greene 74.9% 41
Monroe 71.8% 36
Madison 71.1% 42
Tippecanoe 70.7% 39
Bartholomew 69.2% 44
Henry 68.8% 38
Dubois 67.2% 39
Whitley 65.7% 38
Spencer 64.8% 42
Vanderburgh 63.9% 44
Floyd 63.9% 46
Delaware 63.4% 44
St. Joseph 63.0% 44
Porter 62.4% 44
LaPorte 62.3% 44
Vigo 62.0% 45
Howard 61.5% 46
Elkhart 61.0% 44
Clark 59.7% 46
Hamilton 58.5% 47
Allen 58.2% 45
Marion 43.3% 53
Lake 38.8% 53

Reading Indiana'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 33 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Brown County (94.5% Good days) and Lake County (38.8%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 42 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 Indiana 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 Indiana?
Indiana has 33 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 42, and 71.0% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Indiana has the best air quality?
Brown County has the best air quality in Indiana based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Indiana has the worst air quality?
Lake County has the worst air quality in Indiana. The state recorded 7 total unhealthy air days across all 33 monitored counties.
How many counties in Indiana have air quality monitors?
33 counties in Indiana 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 Indiana have?
Indiana recorded 7 total unhealthy air days across all 33 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: 33 counties in Indiana 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.