State air quality · 2024
Nevada Air Quality
Across 9 monitored counties, Nevada averages a median AQI of 40 (Good) and 73.6% good-air days, from EPA AQS.
- 40
- Avg median AQI
- 73.6%
- Good-air days
- 9
- Counties monitored
- 34%
- Cleaner than US states
Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 9 monitored counties, Nevada averages a good median AQI of 40, more polluted than the median US state, with 73.6% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Nye and Clark County is the real story.
- 40
- avg median AQI · Good
- 73.6%
- days in the Good band
- 6/9
- counties ≥75% Good days
- 34%
- cleaner than other states
Cleanest: Nye County (91.2% Good days). Most polluted: Clark County (25.6%).
Data updated July 2026
Nevada: 9 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 40 (Good), 73.6% good-air days, 1 total unhealthy days (0.1%). Best: Nye County (91.2%). Worst: Clark County (25.6%). Worst single reading: AQI 160. 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
9
Avg Good Days %
73.6%
Avg Median AQI
40
Total Unhealthy Days
1
Best Air Quality
Nye County
Worst Air Quality
Clark County
Which counties in Nevada have the cleanest and most polluted air?
Cleanest counties in Nevada
| County | Good % | Median AQI | Max AQI | Unhealthy Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nye | 91.2% | 24 | 128 | 0 |
| Douglas | 90.9% | 22 | 57 | 0 |
| Elko | 90.8% | 19 | 160 | 1 |
| Lyon | 83.9% | 44 | 84 | 0 |
| Churchill | 81.0% | 43 | 77 | 0 |
| Carson City | 79.3% | 45 | 80 | 0 |
| White Pine | 69.9% | 47 | 105 | 0 |
| Washoe | 50.0% | 51 | 112 | 0 |
| Clark | 25.6% | 64 | 138 | 0 |
Reading Nevada'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 9 monitored counties. County profiles
- Nye County (91.2% Good days) and Clark County (25.6%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
- New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 40 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 Nevada air quality
Dig into the cleanest and most-polluted counties, metro areas, and national rankings.
Cleanest county
Nye County
91.2% good-air days, median AQI 24.
Most polluted county
Clark County
25.6% good-air days, median AQI 64.
Metro areas
Metro air quality
AQI summaries for U.S. metropolitan statistical areas.
National rankings
Cleanest & worst air
How Nevada counties rank against the rest of the country.
Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in Nevada? ▼
Which county in Nevada has the best air quality? ▼
Which county in Nevada has the worst air quality? ▼
How many counties in Nevada have air quality monitors? ▼
How many unhealthy air days does Nevada have? ▼
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: 9 counties in Nevada 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.