State air quality · 2024

Kansas Air Quality

Across 12 monitored counties, Kansas averages a median AQI of 38 (Good) and 77.1% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

38
Avg median AQI
77.1%
Good-air days
12
Counties monitored
43%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 12 monitored counties, Kansas averages a good median AQI of 38, more polluted than the median US state, with 77.1% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Leavenworth and Sedgwick County is the real story.

38
avg median AQI · Good
77.1%
days in the Good band
6/12
counties ≥75% Good days
43%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Leavenworth County (93.9% Good days). Most polluted: Sedgwick County (58.6%).

Data updated July 2026

Kansas: 12 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 38 (Good), 77.1% good-air days, 6 total unhealthy days (0.3%). Best: Leavenworth County (93.9%). Worst: Sedgwick County (58.6%). Worst single reading: AQI 370. 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

12

Avg Good Days %

77.1%

Avg Median AQI

38

Total Unhealthy Days

6

Best Air Quality

Leavenworth County

Worst Air Quality

Sedgwick County

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

Cleanest counties in Kansas

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

  1. 1 Leavenworth County 93.9%
  2. 2 Douglas County 90.7%
  3. 3 Ford County 89.4%
  4. 4 Chase County 88.9%
  5. 5 Sherman County 86.6%
  6. 6 Trego County 77.2%
  7. 7 Neosho County 73.5%
  8. 8 Johnson County 71.8%
  9. 9 Sumner County 67.4%
  10. 10 Shawnee County 64.1%
  11. 11 Wyandotte County 63.1%
  12. 12 Sedgwick County 58.6%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Leavenworth 93.9% 36
Douglas 90.7% 41
Ford 89.4% 26
Chase 88.9% 22
Sherman 86.6% 25
Trego 77.2% 41
Neosho 73.5% 43
Johnson 71.8% 43
Sumner 67.4% 43
Shawnee 64.1% 44
Wyandotte 63.1% 44
Sedgwick 58.6% 48

Reading Kansas'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 12 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Leavenworth County (93.9% Good days) and Sedgwick County (58.6%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 38 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 Kansas 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 Kansas?
Kansas has 12 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 38, and 77.1% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Kansas has the best air quality?
Leavenworth County has the best air quality in Kansas based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Kansas has the worst air quality?
Sedgwick County has the worst air quality in Kansas. The state recorded 6 total unhealthy air days across all 12 monitored counties.
How many counties in Kansas have air quality monitors?
12 counties in Kansas 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 Kansas have?
Kansas recorded 6 total unhealthy air days across all 12 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: 12 counties in Kansas 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.