State air quality · 2024

Utah Air Quality

Across 17 monitored counties, Utah averages a median AQI of 42 (Good) and 65.4% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

42
Avg median AQI
65.4%
Good-air days
17
Counties monitored
6%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 17 monitored counties, Utah averages a good median AQI of 42, among the more polluted US states, with 65.4% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Wayne and Salt Lake County is the real story.

42
avg median AQI · Good
65.4%
days in the Good band
2/17
counties ≥75% Good days
6%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Wayne County (100.0% Good days). Most polluted: Salt Lake County (37.0%).

Data updated July 2026

Utah: 17 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 42 (Good), 65.4% good-air days, 1 total unhealthy days (0.0%). Best: Wayne County (100.0%). Worst: Salt Lake County (37.0%). Worst single reading: AQI 175. 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

17

Avg Good Days %

65.4%

Avg Median AQI

42

Total Unhealthy Days

1

Best Air Quality

Wayne County

Worst Air Quality

Salt Lake County

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

Cleanest counties in Utah

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

  1. 1 Garfield County 100%
  2. 2 Wayne County 100%
  3. 3 Washington County 71.1%
  4. 4 Tooele County 70.4%
  5. 5 Iron County 70%
  6. 6 San Juan County 65.3%
  7. 7 Carbon County 62.9%
  8. 8 Grand County 61.7%
  9. 9 Weber County 61.3%
  10. 10 Cache County 61.2%
  11. 11 Box Elder County 60%
  12. 12 Davis County 59.5%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Garfield 100.0% 4
Wayne 100.0% 4
Washington 71.0% 45
Tooele 70.4% 45
Iron 70.0% 46
San Juan 65.3% 46
Carbon 62.9% 47
Grand 61.7% 47
Weber 61.3% 47
Cache 61.2% 46
Box Elder 60.0% 48
Davis 59.5% 48
Duchesne 59.4% 47
Wasatch 58.9% 48
Uintah 58.5% 48
Utah 54.0% 49
Salt Lake 37.0% 54

Reading Utah'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 17 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Wayne County (100.0% Good days) and Salt Lake County (37.0%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 42 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 Utah 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 Utah?
Utah has 17 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 42, and 65.4% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in Utah has the best air quality?
Wayne County has the best air quality in Utah based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in Utah has the worst air quality?
Salt Lake County has the worst air quality in Utah. The state recorded 1 total unhealthy air days across all 17 monitored counties.
How many counties in Utah have air quality monitors?
17 counties in Utah 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 Utah have?
Utah recorded 1 total unhealthy air days across all 17 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: 17 counties in Utah 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.