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

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

  1. 1 Nye County 91.2%
  2. 2 Douglas County 90.9%
  3. 3 Elko County 90.8%
  4. 4 Lyon County 83.9%
  5. 5 Churchill County 81%
  6. 6 Carson City County 79.3%
  7. 7 White Pine County 69.9%
  8. 8 Washoe County 50%
  9. 9 Clark County 25.6%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Nye 91.2% 24
Douglas 90.9% 22
Elko 90.8% 19
Lyon 83.9% 44
Churchill 81.0% 43
Carson City 79.3% 45
White Pine 69.9% 47
Washoe 50.0% 51
Clark 25.6% 64

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.

Air Quality Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the air quality in Nevada?
Nevada has 9 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 40, and 73.6% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Nevada has the best air quality?
Nye County has the best air quality in Nevada based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Nevada has the worst air quality?
Clark County has the worst air quality in Nevada. The state recorded 1 total unhealthy air days across all 9 monitored counties.
How many counties in Nevada have air quality monitors?
9 counties in Nevada 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 Nevada have?
Nevada recorded 1 total unhealthy air days across all 9 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: 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.