State air quality · 2024

West Virginia Air Quality

Across 13 monitored counties, West Virginia averages a median AQI of 39 (Good) and 78.7% good-air days, from EPA AQS.

39
Avg median AQI
78.7%
Good-air days
13
Counties monitored
51%
Cleaner than US states

Verify with AirNow → · EPA AQS →

The verdict

According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, across 13 monitored counties, West Virginia averages a good median AQI of 39, cleaner than the median US state, with 78.7% of days in the Good band, but the gap between Tucker and Marshall County is the real story.

39
avg median AQI · Good
78.7%
days in the Good band
8/13
counties ≥75% Good days
51%
cleaner than other states

Cleanest: Tucker County (94.2% Good days). Most polluted: Marshall County (63.6%).

Data updated July 2026

West Virginia: 13 monitored counties (2024), avg median AQI 39 (Good), 78.7% good-air days, 0 total unhealthy days (0.0%). Best: Tucker County (94.2%). Worst: Marshall County (63.6%). Worst single reading: AQI 105. 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

13

Avg Good Days %

78.7%

Avg Median AQI

39

Total Unhealthy Days

0

Best Air Quality

Tucker County

Worst Air Quality

Marshall County

Which counties in West Virginia have the cleanest and most polluted air?

Cleanest counties in West Virginia

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

  1. 1 Tucker County 94.2%
  2. 2 Greenbrier County 89.3%
  3. 3 Wood County 83.5%
  4. 4 Berkeley County 81.1%
  5. 5 Kanawha County 79.6%
  6. 6 Brooke County 79.3%
  7. 7 Monongalia County 79.1%
  8. 8 Ohio County 78.5%
  9. 9 Hancock County 74.6%
  10. 10 Cabell County 74%
  11. 11 Harrison County 73.3%
  12. 12 Marion County 72.9%

Good-day share · EPA Air Quality System

County Good % Median AQI
Tucker 94.2% 38
Greenbrier 89.3% 42
Wood 83.5% 39
Berkeley 81.1% 40
Kanawha 79.6% 40
Brooke 79.3% 35
Monongalia 79.1% 43
Ohio 78.5% 42
Hancock 74.6% 42
Cabell 74.0% 41
Harrison 73.3% 32
Marion 72.9% 34
Marshall 63.6% 41

Reading West Virginia'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 13 monitored counties. County profiles
  • Tucker County (94.2% Good days) and Marshall County (63.6%) bracket the range, compare both before drawing a conclusion. See the cleanest
  • New to the scale? The AQI guide explains what a median of 39 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has 13 counties with EPA air quality monitoring. The average median AQI across all monitored counties is 39, and 78.7% of monitored days have good air quality on average.
Which county in West Virginia has the best air quality?
Tucker County has the best air quality in West Virginia based on EPA AQS data. Counties are ranked by the percentage of monitored days with "Good" AQI (0-50).
Which county in West Virginia has the worst air quality?
Marshall County has the worst air quality in West Virginia. The state recorded 0 total unhealthy air days across all 13 monitored counties.
How many counties in West Virginia have air quality monitors?
13 counties in West Virginia 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 West Virginia have?
West Virginia recorded 0 total unhealthy air days across all 13 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: 13 counties in West Virginia 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.