Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI)

Lake County had the highest share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI) of 54 counties in 2013, at 97.5%. Los Angeles County had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 45.2%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest97.5Lake County
Median45.254 counties

Map of counties, 2013

Alameda County: 28.8 %Alpine County: 56.3 %Amador County: 82.5 %Butte County: 28.5 %Calaveras County: 47.3 %Colusa County: 48.4 %Contra Costa County: 32.1 %Del Norte County: 96 %El Dorado County: 60.5 %Fresno County: 9.6 %Glenn County: 50.1 %Humboldt County: 61.9 %Imperial County: 37.5 %Inyo County: 60 %Kern County: 3.8 %Kings County: 15.6 %Lake County: 97.5 %Los Angeles County: 2.2 %Madera County: 8.5 %Marin County: 43 %Mariposa County: 35.1 %Mendocino County: 74 %Merced County: 28.8 %Mono County: 85.2 %Monterey County: 68.8 %Napa County: 41.1 %Nevada County: 55.8 %Orange County: 21.6 %Placer County: 34.5 %Plumas County: 46.2 %Riverside County: 5.2 %Sacramento County: 35.9 %San Benito County: 74 %San Bernardino County: 9.6 %San Diego County: 6.3 %San Francisco County: 52.9 %San Joaquin County: 11.8 %San Luis Obispo County: 17.8 %San Mateo County: 52.9 %Santa Barbara County: 40.8 %Santa Clara County: 35.3 %Santa Cruz County: 68.2 %Shasta County: 80.5 %Siskiyou County: 89.5 %Solano County: 44.1 %Sonoma County: 65.8 %Stanislaus County: 32.1 %Sutter County: 48.2 %Tehama County: 63.8 %Trinity County: 64.2 %Tulare County: 9 %Tuolumne County: 78 %Ventura County: 31.8 %Yolo County: 68.2 %
  • Under 15
  • 15 to 34
  • 34 to 45
  • 45 to 58
  • 58 to 70
  • 70 and over
  • No data
%, 2013. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2013

Lake County: 97.5 %Lake County97.5Del Norte County: 96 %Del Norte County96Siskiyou County: 89.5 %Siskiyou County89.5Mono County: 85.2 %Mono County85.2Amador County: 82.5 %Amador County82.5Shasta County: 80.5 %Shasta County80.5Tuolumne County: 78 %Tuolumne County78Mendocino County: 74 %Mendocino County74San Benito County: 74 %San Benito County74Monterey County: 68.8 %Monterey County68.8Santa Cruz County: 68.2 %Santa Cruz County68.2Yolo County: 68.2 %Yolo County68.2Sonoma County: 65.8 %Sonoma County65.8Trinity County: 64.2 %Trinity County64.2Tehama County: 63.8 %Tehama County63.8Humboldt County: 61.9 %Humboldt County61.9El Dorado County: 60.5 %El Dorado County60.5Inyo County: 60 %Inyo County60Alpine County: 56.3 %Alpine County56.3Nevada County: 55.8 %Nevada County55.8San Francisco County: 52.9 %San Francisco County52.9San Mateo County: 52.9 %San Mateo County52.9Glenn County: 50.1 %Glenn County50.1Colusa County: 48.4 %Colusa County48.4Sutter County: 48.2 %Sutter County48.2Calaveras County: 47.3 %Calaveras County47.3Plumas County: 46.2 %Plumas County46.2Solano County: 44.1 %Solano County44.1Marin County: 43 %Marin County43Napa County: 41.1 %Napa County41.1Santa Barbara County: 40.8 %Santa Barbara County40.8Imperial County: 37.5 %Imperial County37.5Sacramento County: 35.9 %Sacramento County35.9Santa Clara County: 35.3 %Santa Clara County35.3Mariposa County: 35.1 %Mariposa County35.1Placer County: 34.5 %Placer County34.5Contra Costa County: 32.1 %Contra Costa County32.1Stanislaus County: 32.1 %Stanislaus County32.1Ventura County: 31.8 %Ventura County31.8Alameda County: 28.8 %Alameda County28.8Merced County: 28.8 %Merced County28.8Butte County: 28.5 %Butte County28.5Orange County: 21.6 %Orange County21.6San Luis Obispo County: 17.8 %San Luis Obispo County17.8Kings County: 15.6 %Kings County15.6San Joaquin County: 11.8 %San Joaquin County11.8Fresno County: 9.6 %Fresno County9.6San Bernardino County: 9.6 %San Bernardino County9.6Tulare County: 9 %Tulare County9Madera County: 8.5 %Madera County8.5San Diego County: 6.3 %San Diego County6.3Riverside County: 5.2 %Riverside County5.2Kern County: 3.8 %Kern County3.8Los Angeles County: 2.2 %Los Angeles County2.2Lake County: 97.5 %Lake County97.5Del Norte County: 96 %Del Norte County96Siskiyou County: 89.5 %Siskiyou County89.5Mono County: 85.2 %Mono County85.2Amador County: 82.5 %Amador County82.5Shasta County: 80.5 %Shasta County80.5Tuolumne County: 78 %Tuolumne County78Mendocino County: 74 %Mendocino County74San Benito County: 74 %San Benito County74Monterey County: 68.8 %Monterey County68.8Santa Cruz County: 68.2 %Santa Cruz County68.2Yolo County: 68.2 %Yolo County68.2Sonoma County: 65.8 %Sonoma County65.8Trinity County: 64.2 %Trinity County64.2Tehama County: 63.8 %Tehama County63.8Humboldt County: 61.9 %Humboldt County61.9El Dorado County: 60.5 %El Dorado County60.5Inyo County: 60 %Inyo County60Alpine County: 56.3 %Alpine County56.3Nevada County: 55.8 %Nevada County55.8San Francisco County: 52.9 %San Francisco County52.9San Mateo County: 52.9 %San Mateo County52.9Glenn County: 50.1 %Glenn County50.1Colusa County: 48.4 %Colusa County48.4Sutter County: 48.2 %Sutter County48.2Calaveras County: 47.3 %Calaveras County47.3Plumas County: 46.2 %Plumas County46.2Solano County: 44.1 %Solano County44.1Marin County: 43 %Marin County43Napa County: 41.1 %Napa County41.1Santa Barbara County: 40.8 %Santa Barbara County40.8Imperial County: 37.5 %Imperial County37.5Sacramento County: 35.9 %Sacramento County35.9Santa Clara County: 35.3 %Santa Clara County35.3Mariposa County: 35.1 %Mariposa County35.1Placer County: 34.5 %Placer County34.5Contra Costa County: 32.1 %Contra Costa County32.1Stanislaus County: 32.1 %Stanislaus County32.1Ventura County: 31.8 %Ventura County31.8Alameda County: 28.8 %Alameda County28.8Merced County: 28.8 %Merced County28.8Butte County: 28.5 %Butte County28.5Orange County: 21.6 %Orange County21.6San Luis Obispo County: 17.8 %San Luis Obispo County17.8Kings County: 15.6 %Kings County15.6San Joaquin County: 11.8 %San Joaquin County11.8Fresno County: 9.6 %Fresno County9.6San Bernardino County: 9.6 %San Bernardino County9.6Tulare County: 9 %Tulare County9Madera County: 8.5 %Madera County8.5San Diego County: 6.3 %San Diego County6.3Riverside County: 5.2 %Riverside County5.2Kern County: 3.8 %Kern County3.8Los Angeles County: 2.2 %Los Angeles County2.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013 (%)Change on 2012
1Lake County97.5+4.7 pts
2Del Norte County96-2.3 pts
3Siskiyou County89.50 pts
4Mono County85.2-3.9 pts
5Amador County82.5+11.7 pts
6Shasta County80.5+10.6 pts
7Tuolumne County78+10.4 pts
8Mendocino County74-3.6 pts
8San Benito County74-0.3 pts
10Monterey County68.8-9.1 pts
11Santa Cruz County68.2-21.7 pts
11Yolo County68.2+13.3 pts
13Sonoma County65.8+0.2 pts
14Trinity County64.2+18.7 pts
15Tehama County63.8+13.8 pts
16Humboldt County61.9-7 pts
17El Dorado County60.5+2.6 pts
18Inyo County60+5.9 pts
19Alpine County56.3+2.1 pts
20Nevada County55.8-5.9 pts
21San Francisco County52.9-12.5 pts
21San Mateo County52.9-10.8 pts
23Glenn County50.1-10.8 pts
24Colusa County48.4+12.9 pts
25Sutter County48.2+4.8 pts
26Calaveras County47.3-10.9 pts
27Plumas County46.2-7.8 pts
28Solano County44.1-12.7 pts
29Marin County43-26.4 pts
30Napa County41.1-20.1 pts
31Santa Barbara County40.8-2.4 pts
32Imperial County37.5-6.2 pts
33Sacramento County35.9-5.6 pts
34Santa Clara County35.3-8.1 pts
35Mariposa County35.1-1 pts
36Placer County34.5-5.1 pts
37Contra Costa County32.1-43.6 pts
37Stanislaus County32.1+6.1 pts
39Ventura County31.8+0.1 pts
40Alameda County28.8-22 pts
40Merced County28.8-8.4 pts
42Butte County28.5-3.2 pts
43Orange County21.6+1.1 pts
44San Luis Obispo County17.8-13.1 pts
45Kings County15.6-9.8 pts
46San Joaquin County11.8-12.2 pts
47Fresno County9.6-2.7 pts
47San Bernardino County9.6+4.1 pts
49Tulare County9-8.2 pts
50Madera County8.5-7.6 pts
51San Diego County6.3-0.8 pts
52Riverside County5.2+2.5 pts
53Kern County3.8-6.9 pts
54Los Angeles County2.2-1.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Days with a daily Air Quality Index of 0 to 50 (good) as a percentage of the days of the year with an AQI in a US county. Calculated by Invokely from the day counts in the EPA AirData annual summaries; both counts are stored with each value.

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.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. 4 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2013 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. 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: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts (Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013) [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: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts, Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 13 July 2026, https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2026. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2026) EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts, Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_california_by_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Environmental Protection Agency}},
  title = {{EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts: Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013}},
  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/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013. Publisher attribution: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. 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: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts: Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI), 2013
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/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in California by share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI)?

Lake County, with 97.5% in 2013, according to EPA.

Which county has the lowest share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI)?

Los Angeles County, with 2.2% in 2013.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 counties have no value for 2013 and are not ranked.

Share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI): other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings