State air quality · 2024

Michigan Air Quality

Across 27 monitored counties, Michigan averages a median AQI of 37 (Good) and 81.1% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

37
Avg median AQI
81.1%
Good-air days
27
Counties monitored
60%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 27 monitored counties, Michigan averages a good median AQI of 37, cleaner than the median US state, with 81.1% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Keweenaw and Wayne County is the real story.

37
avg median AQI · Good
81.1%
days in the Good band
20/27
counties ≥75% Good days
60%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Keweenaw County (100.0% Good days). Most polluted: Wayne County (46.4%).

Data updated July 2026

Michigan: 27 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 37 (Good), 81.1% good-air days, 9 total unhealthy days (0.1%). Best: Keweenaw County (100.0%). Worst: Wayne County (46.4%). Worst single reading: AQI 183. 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

27

Avg Good Days %

81.1%

Avg Median AQI

37

Total Unhealthy Days

9

Best Air Quality

Keweenaw County

Worst Air Quality

Wayne County

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

Cleanest counties in Michigan

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

  1. 1 Keweenaw County 100%
  2. 2 Wexford County 92.6%
  3. 3 Benzie County 91.1%
  4. 4 Tuscola County 90.8%
  5. 5 Missaukee County 90.8%
  6. 6 Clinton County 90.2%
  7. 7 Huron County 89.6%
  8. 8 Schoolcraft County 89.4%
  9. 9 Mason County 89.2%
  10. 10 Marquette County 87%
  11. 11 Cass County 85.3%
  12. 12 Manistee County 84.5%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Keweenaw 100.0% 7
Wexford 92.6% 38
Benzie 91.1% 35
Tuscola 90.8% 37
Missaukee 90.8% 36
Clinton 90.2% 39
Huron 89.6% 38
Schoolcraft 89.4% 32
Mason 89.2% 36
Marquette 87.0% 18
Cass 85.3% 40
Manistee 84.5% 34
Muskegon 83.5% 39
Genesee 83.2% 38
Ingham 82.9% 37
Berrien 80.9% 41
Ottawa 77.8% 40
Lenawee 77.3% 41
Washtenaw 76.0% 41
Oakland 75.0% 41
St. Clair 74.3% 39
Kalamazoo 74.0% 40
Macomb 73.9% 41
Bay 71.8% 38
Allegan 71.2% 43
Kent 59.9% 46
Wayne 46.4% 52

Reading Michigan'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 27 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Keweenaw County (100.0% Good days) and Wayne County (46.4%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 37 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 Michigan 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 Michigan?
Michigan has 27 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 37, and 81.1% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Michigan has the best air quality?
Keweenaw County has the best air quality in Michigan based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Michigan has the worst air quality?
Wayne County has the worst air quality in Michigan. The state recorded 9 total unhealthy air days across all 27 monitored counties.
How many counties in Michigan have air quality monitors?
27 counties in Michigan 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 Michigan have?
Michigan recorded 9 total unhealthy air days across all 27 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: 27 counties in Michigan 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.