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 2016, at 97.5%. Los Angeles County had the lowest, at 1.9%. The median was 55.5%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest97.5Lake County
Median55.554 counties

Map of counties, 2016

Alameda County: 42.3 %Alpine County: 79.2 %Amador County: 83.1 %Butte County: 31.4 %Calaveras County: 53.3 %Colusa County: 60.7 %Contra Costa County: 57.4 %Del Norte County: 88.1 %El Dorado County: 60.4 %Fresno County: 16.9 %Glenn County: 53.6 %Humboldt County: 78.7 %Imperial County: 17.5 %Inyo County: 65 %Kern County: 12.6 %Kings County: 16.7 %Lake County: 97.5 %Los Angeles County: 1.9 %Madera County: 24.9 %Marin County: 80.9 %Mariposa County: 53.8 %Mendocino County: 78.8 %Merced County: 31.4 %Mono County: 85.2 %Monterey County: 79.2 %Napa County: 59.8 %Nevada County: 63.4 %Orange County: 23.8 %Placer County: 51.1 %Plumas County: 57.2 %Riverside County: 6.3 %Sacramento County: 37.2 %San Benito County: 81.4 %San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Diego County: 8.2 %San Francisco County: 64.5 %San Joaquin County: 16.9 %San Luis Obispo County: 38.3 %San Mateo County: 58.5 %Santa Barbara County: 52.2 %Santa Clara County: 51.1 %Santa Cruz County: 83.6 %Shasta County: 80.9 %Siskiyou County: 97 %Solano County: 58.2 %Sonoma County: 88.3 %Stanislaus County: 27.9 %Sutter County: 31.4 %Tehama County: 59.6 %Trinity County: 49.7 %Tulare County: 15 %Tuolumne County: 63 %Ventura County: 32.8 %Yolo County: 67.2 %
  • Under 17
  • 17 to 38
  • 38 to 56
  • 56 to 63
  • 63 to 81
  • 81 and over
  • No data
%, 2016. 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, 2016

Lake County: 97.5 %Lake County97.5Siskiyou County: 97 %Siskiyou County97Sonoma County: 88.3 %Sonoma County88.3Del Norte County: 88.1 %Del Norte County88.1Mono County: 85.2 %Mono County85.2Santa Cruz County: 83.6 %Santa Cruz County83.6Amador County: 83.1 %Amador County83.1San Benito County: 81.4 %San Benito County81.4Marin County: 80.9 %Marin County80.9Shasta County: 80.9 %Shasta County80.9Alpine County: 79.2 %Alpine County79.2Monterey County: 79.2 %Monterey County79.2Mendocino County: 78.8 %Mendocino County78.8Humboldt County: 78.7 %Humboldt County78.7Yolo County: 67.2 %Yolo County67.2Inyo County: 65 %Inyo County65San Francisco County: 64.5 %San Francisco County64.5Nevada County: 63.4 %Nevada County63.4Tuolumne County: 63 %Tuolumne County63Colusa County: 60.7 %Colusa County60.7El Dorado County: 60.4 %El Dorado County60.4Napa County: 59.8 %Napa County59.8Tehama County: 59.6 %Tehama County59.6San Mateo County: 58.5 %San Mateo County58.5Solano County: 58.2 %Solano County58.2Contra Costa County: 57.4 %Contra Costa County57.4Plumas County: 57.2 %Plumas County57.2Mariposa County: 53.8 %Mariposa County53.8Glenn County: 53.6 %Glenn County53.6Calaveras County: 53.3 %Calaveras County53.3Santa Barbara County: 52.2 %Santa Barbara County52.2Placer County: 51.1 %Placer County51.1Santa Clara County: 51.1 %Santa Clara County51.1Trinity County: 49.7 %Trinity County49.7Alameda County: 42.3 %Alameda County42.3San Luis Obispo County: 38.3 %San Luis Obispo County38.3Sacramento County: 37.2 %Sacramento County37.2Ventura County: 32.8 %Ventura County32.8Butte County: 31.4 %Butte County31.4Merced County: 31.4 %Merced County31.4Sutter County: 31.4 %Sutter County31.4Stanislaus County: 27.9 %Stanislaus County27.9Madera County: 24.9 %Madera County24.9Orange County: 23.8 %Orange County23.8Imperial County: 17.5 %Imperial County17.5Fresno County: 16.9 %Fresno County16.9San Joaquin County: 16.9 %San Joaquin County16.9Kings County: 16.7 %Kings County16.7Tulare County: 15 %Tulare County15Kern County: 12.6 %Kern County12.6San Diego County: 8.2 %San Diego County8.2Riverside County: 6.3 %Riverside County6.3San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Bernardino County2.5Los Angeles County: 1.9 %Los Angeles County1.9Lake County: 97.5 %Lake County97.5Siskiyou County: 97 %Siskiyou County97Sonoma County: 88.3 %Sonoma County88.3Del Norte County: 88.1 %Del Norte County88.1Mono County: 85.2 %Mono County85.2Santa Cruz County: 83.6 %Santa Cruz County83.6Amador County: 83.1 %Amador County83.1San Benito County: 81.4 %San Benito County81.4Marin County: 80.9 %Marin County80.9Shasta County: 80.9 %Shasta County80.9Alpine County: 79.2 %Alpine County79.2Monterey County: 79.2 %Monterey County79.2Mendocino County: 78.8 %Mendocino County78.8Humboldt County: 78.7 %Humboldt County78.7Yolo County: 67.2 %Yolo County67.2Inyo County: 65 %Inyo County65San Francisco County: 64.5 %San Francisco County64.5Nevada County: 63.4 %Nevada County63.4Tuolumne County: 63 %Tuolumne County63Colusa County: 60.7 %Colusa County60.7El Dorado County: 60.4 %El Dorado County60.4Napa County: 59.8 %Napa County59.8Tehama County: 59.6 %Tehama County59.6San Mateo County: 58.5 %San Mateo County58.5Solano County: 58.2 %Solano County58.2Contra Costa County: 57.4 %Contra Costa County57.4Plumas County: 57.2 %Plumas County57.2Mariposa County: 53.8 %Mariposa County53.8Glenn County: 53.6 %Glenn County53.6Calaveras County: 53.3 %Calaveras County53.3Santa Barbara County: 52.2 %Santa Barbara County52.2Placer County: 51.1 %Placer County51.1Santa Clara County: 51.1 %Santa Clara County51.1Trinity County: 49.7 %Trinity County49.7Alameda County: 42.3 %Alameda County42.3San Luis Obispo County: 38.3 %San Luis Obispo County38.3Sacramento County: 37.2 %Sacramento County37.2Ventura County: 32.8 %Ventura County32.8Butte County: 31.4 %Butte County31.4Merced County: 31.4 %Merced County31.4Sutter County: 31.4 %Sutter County31.4Stanislaus County: 27.9 %Stanislaus County27.9Madera County: 24.9 %Madera County24.9Orange County: 23.8 %Orange County23.8Imperial County: 17.5 %Imperial County17.5Fresno County: 16.9 %Fresno County16.9San Joaquin County: 16.9 %San Joaquin County16.9Kings County: 16.7 %Kings County16.7Tulare County: 15 %Tulare County15Kern County: 12.6 %Kern County12.6San Diego County: 8.2 %San Diego County8.2Riverside County: 6.3 %Riverside County6.3San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Bernardino County2.5Los Angeles County: 1.9 %Los Angeles County1.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Lake County97.5+0.8 pts
2Siskiyou County97+5.8 pts
3Sonoma County88.3+8 pts
4Del Norte County88.1-0.5 pts
5Mono County85.2-1.9 pts
6Santa Cruz County83.6+6.3 pts
7Amador County83.1+5.4 pts
8San Benito County81.4-1.6 pts
9Marin County80.9+19 pts
9Shasta County80.9+11.9 pts
11Alpine County79.2+76 pts
11Monterey County79.2+1.1 pts
13Mendocino County78.8+20.4 pts
14Humboldt County78.7+12.7 pts
15Yolo County67.2+16.5 pts
16Inyo County65+12.7 pts
17San Francisco County64.5-2.9 pts
18Nevada County63.4+4.9 pts
19Tuolumne County63-9.5 pts
20Colusa County60.7+22.1 pts
21El Dorado County60.4-4.8 pts
22Napa County59.8+16.5 pts
23Tehama County59.6-1.5 pts
24San Mateo County58.5-22.9 pts
25Solano County58.2+7.2 pts
26Contra Costa County57.4+4.5 pts
27Plumas County57.2+17.8 pts
28Mariposa County53.8-6.5 pts
29Glenn County53.6-6.9 pts
30Calaveras County53.3-5.9 pts
31Santa Barbara County52.2+6.2 pts
32Placer County51.1+2.1 pts
32Santa Clara County51.1+2.1 pts
34Trinity County49.7-48.8 pts
35Alameda County42.3+2.3 pts
36San Luis Obispo County38.3+12.3 pts
37Sacramento County37.2+9.5 pts
38Ventura County32.8+0.2 pts
39Butte County31.4-6.4 pts
39Merced County31.4+2.1 pts
39Sutter County31.4-11.6 pts
42Stanislaus County27.9+2.7 pts
43Madera County24.9+3.5 pts
44Orange County23.8+8.2 pts
45Imperial County17.5+4.1 pts
46Fresno County16.9+6.5 pts
46San Joaquin County16.9-5.8 pts
48Kings County16.7-3 pts
49Tulare County15+7.1 pts
50Kern County12.6+6.3 pts
51San Diego County8.2-4.4 pts
52Riverside County6.3+1.1 pts
53San Bernardino County2.5-1.3 pts
54Los Angeles County1.9+1.1 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 2016 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), 2016) [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), 2016. 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=2016. 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), 2016. 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=2016.

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), 2016 [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=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_california_by_2016,
  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), 2016}},
  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=2016. 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), 2016
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=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2016.
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 2016, according to EPA.

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

Los Angeles County, with 1.9% in 2016.

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 2016 and are not ranked.

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

Counties in California: more rankings