Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County

Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County was 97 in 2022, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That is down 28 from 2021.

2022, index97

Change on 2021-28

Series high2451987

Series low922008

Next release: Tuesday, 13 July 2027, estimated by Invokely from past publication dates (low confidence), not announced by the publisher. Release calendar

Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County, 1980 to 2022

index. Source: EPA, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. Retrieved 2026-10-12, published 2026-07-13.

All 43 values

Period	index
2022	97
2021	125
2020	127
2019	100
2018	177
2017	101
2016	136
2015	112
2014	116
2013	126
2012	140
2011	164
2010	164
2009	105
2008	92
2007	104
2006	127
2005	120
2004	114
2003	127
2002	187
2001	203
2000	158
1999	207
1998	179
1997	200
1996	172
1995	205
1994	169
1993	150
1992	164
1991	195
1990	212
1989	187
1988	242
1987	245
1986	147
1985	212
1984	103
1983	227
1982	200
1981	216
1980	215

Essex County compared with nearby places

Under 86
86 to 93
93 to 110
110 to 120
120 and over
No data

Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), 2022, index. Essex County is outlined. Same source and period for every area shown. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Rankings

Counties in New Jersey by highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) 20 places

Definition

Highest daily Air Quality Index (AQI) value recorded in a US county during the year, from the EPA AirData annual summaries. Values above 500 are beyond the AQI scale and are published as EPA computes them.

A single day decides the value, so one wildfire or dust event can set it. Dust from the dry Owens Lake bed puts Inyo and Mono counties in California in the thousands. United States counties with air quality monitors only, about 1,000 of some 3,100 in recent years; a county without monitors has no value. The number of days with an AQI differs between counties because some monitors run only in the ozone season.

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How to cite

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2026). EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI (Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual

MLA 9

EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI, Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 13 July 2026, https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2026. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey.

Harvard

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2026) EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI, Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{environmental_highest_daily_air_quality_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Environmental Protection Agency}},
  title = {{EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI: Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey. Publisher attribution: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download\_files.html\#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
TI  - EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI: Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA), Essex County, 1980 to 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/13
PB  - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual
L2  - https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/highest-daily-air-quality-index/essex-county-new-jersey.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

What is the highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County?

Highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County was 97 in 2022, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That is down 28 from 2021.

Where does this figure come from?

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: highest daily AQI. Retrieved by Invokely on 2026-10-12.

What was the highest highest daily Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Essex County?

245 in 1987, the highest value since 1980 in this series.

Related statistics for Essex County

All statistics for Essex County | Essex County in figures