State air quality · 2024

Ohio Air Quality

Across 37 monitored counties, Ohio averages a median AQI of 44 (Good) and 68.6% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

44
Avg median AQI
68.6%
Good-air days
37
Counties monitored
13%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 37 monitored counties, Ohio averages a good median AQI of 44, among the more polluted US states, with 68.6% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Columbiana and Hamilton County is the real story.

44
avg median AQI · Good
68.6%
days in the Good band
16/37
counties ≥75% Good days
13%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Columbiana County (100.0% Good days). Most polluted: Hamilton County (32.1%).

Data updated July 2026

Ohio: 37 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 44 (Good), 68.6% good-air days, 6 total unhealthy days (0.1%). Best: Columbiana County (100.0%). Worst: Hamilton County (32.1%). Worst single reading: AQI 238. 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

37

Avg Good Days %

68.6%

Avg Median AQI

44

Total Unhealthy Days

6

Best Air Quality

Columbiana County

Worst Air Quality

Hamilton County

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

Cleanest counties in Ohio

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

  1. 1 Columbiana County 100%
  2. 2 Noble County 88.7%
  3. 3 Lorain County 87.3%
  4. 4 Washington County 86.7%
  5. 5 Wood County 85.3%
  6. 6 Licking County 84.6%
  7. 7 Knox County 84.1%
  8. 8 Greene County 84.1%
  9. 9 Delaware County 82.9%
  10. 10 Geauga County 82.9%
  11. 11 Miami County 82.8%
  12. 12 Clinton County 82.1%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Columbiana 100.0% 12
Noble 88.7% 39
Lorain 87.3% 39
Washington 86.7% 41
Wood 85.3% 39
Licking 84.6% 41
Greene 84.1% 41
Knox 84.1% 40
Delaware 82.9% 41
Geauga 82.9% 42
Miami 82.8% 41
Clinton 82.1% 42
Ashtabula 81.2% 43
Athens 80.3% 33
Portage 77.5% 43
Madison 77.5% 43
Clermont 72.1% 43
Lawrence 70.3% 43
Medina 69.3% 43
Allen 65.9% 43
Lake 65.6% 43
Warren 65.4% 44
Summit 64.5% 44
Belmont 63.0% 42
Mahoning 62.9% 44
Preble 62.0% 45
Trumbull 60.5% 46
Montgomery 59.7% 47
Clark 59.4% 46
Scioto 58.6% 45
Jefferson 50.5% 50
Stark 49.5% 51
Cuyahoga 43.6% 53
Lucas 41.8% 53
Franklin 39.8% 54
Butler 33.3% 55
Hamilton 32.1% 54

Reading Ohio'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 37 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Columbiana County (100.0% Good days) and Hamilton County (32.1%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 44 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 Ohio 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 Ohio?
Ohio has 37 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 44, and 68.6% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Ohio has the best air quality?
Columbiana County has the best air quality in Ohio based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Ohio has the worst air quality?
Hamilton County has the worst air quality in Ohio. The state recorded 6 total unhealthy air days across all 37 monitored counties.
How many counties in Ohio have air quality monitors?
37 counties in Ohio 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 Ohio have?
Ohio recorded 6 total unhealthy air days across all 37 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: 37 counties in Ohio 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.