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 53 counties in 2017, at 96.7%. San Bernardino County had the lowest, at 2.5%. The median was 47.7%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest96.7Lake County
Median47.753 counties

Map of counties, 2017

Alameda County: 29 %Amador County: 80.4 %Butte County: 27.4 %Calaveras County: 33.3 %Colusa County: 64.9 %Contra Costa County: 35.9 %Del Norte County: 80.9 %El Dorado County: 64.9 %Fresno County: 20.8 %Glenn County: 63.3 %Humboldt County: 81.6 %Imperial County: 20 %Inyo County: 53.4 %Kern County: 16.2 %Kings County: 22.5 %Lake County: 96.7 %Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Madera County: 32.1 %Marin County: 61.4 %Mariposa County: 40 %Mendocino County: 61.9 %Merced County: 34.9 %Mono County: 82.2 %Monterey County: 72.6 %Napa County: 37.5 %Nevada County: 53.2 %Orange County: 23.6 %Placer County: 57.8 %Plumas County: 52.4 %Riverside County: 7.1 %Sacramento County: 28.8 %San Benito County: 77.8 %San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Diego County: 11.2 %San Francisco County: 57.8 %San Joaquin County: 38.6 %San Luis Obispo County: 29.3 %San Mateo County: 65.2 %Santa Barbara County: 49.6 %Santa Clara County: 47.7 %Santa Cruz County: 73.7 %Shasta County: 71.2 %Siskiyou County: 88 %Solano County: 47.4 %Sonoma County: 73.2 %Stanislaus County: 34.8 %Sutter County: 35.1 %Tehama County: 64.9 %Trinity County: 37.4 %Tulare County: 18.4 %Tuolumne County: 63.8 %Ventura County: 32.1 %Yolo County: 62.5 %
  • Under 23
  • 23 to 35
  • 35 to 48
  • 48 to 62
  • 62 to 73
  • 73 and over
  • No data
%, 2017. 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, 2017

Lake County: 96.7 %Lake County96.7Siskiyou County: 88 %Siskiyou County88Mono County: 82.2 %Mono County82.2Humboldt County: 81.6 %Humboldt County81.6Del Norte County: 80.9 %Del Norte County80.9Amador County: 80.4 %Amador County80.4San Benito County: 77.8 %San Benito County77.8Santa Cruz County: 73.7 %Santa Cruz County73.7Sonoma County: 73.2 %Sonoma County73.2Monterey County: 72.6 %Monterey County72.6Shasta County: 71.2 %Shasta County71.2San Mateo County: 65.2 %San Mateo County65.2Colusa County: 64.9 %Colusa County64.9El Dorado County: 64.9 %El Dorado County64.9Tehama County: 64.9 %Tehama County64.9Tuolumne County: 63.8 %Tuolumne County63.8Glenn County: 63.3 %Glenn County63.3Yolo County: 62.5 %Yolo County62.5Mendocino County: 61.9 %Mendocino County61.9Marin County: 61.4 %Marin County61.4Placer County: 57.8 %Placer County57.8San Francisco County: 57.8 %San Francisco County57.8Inyo County: 53.4 %Inyo County53.4Nevada County: 53.2 %Nevada County53.2Plumas County: 52.4 %Plumas County52.4Santa Barbara County: 49.6 %Santa Barbara County49.6Santa Clara County: 47.7 %Santa Clara County47.7Solano County: 47.4 %Solano County47.4Mariposa County: 40 %Mariposa County40San Joaquin County: 38.6 %San Joaquin County38.6Napa County: 37.5 %Napa County37.5Trinity County: 37.4 %Trinity County37.4Contra Costa County: 35.9 %Contra Costa County35.9Sutter County: 35.1 %Sutter County35.1Merced County: 34.9 %Merced County34.9Stanislaus County: 34.8 %Stanislaus County34.8Calaveras County: 33.3 %Calaveras County33.3Madera County: 32.1 %Madera County32.1Ventura County: 32.1 %Ventura County32.1San Luis Obispo County: 29.3 %San Luis Obispo County29.3Alameda County: 29 %Alameda County29Sacramento County: 28.8 %Sacramento County28.8Butte County: 27.4 %Butte County27.4Orange County: 23.6 %Orange County23.6Kings County: 22.5 %Kings County22.5Fresno County: 20.8 %Fresno County20.8Imperial County: 20 %Imperial County20Tulare County: 18.4 %Tulare County18.4Kern County: 16.2 %Kern County16.2San Diego County: 11.2 %San Diego County11.2Riverside County: 7.1 %Riverside County7.1Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Los Angeles County2.5San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Bernardino County2.5Lake County: 96.7 %Lake County96.7Siskiyou County: 88 %Siskiyou County88Mono County: 82.2 %Mono County82.2Humboldt County: 81.6 %Humboldt County81.6Del Norte County: 80.9 %Del Norte County80.9Amador County: 80.4 %Amador County80.4San Benito County: 77.8 %San Benito County77.8Santa Cruz County: 73.7 %Santa Cruz County73.7Sonoma County: 73.2 %Sonoma County73.2Monterey County: 72.6 %Monterey County72.6Shasta County: 71.2 %Shasta County71.2San Mateo County: 65.2 %San Mateo County65.2Colusa County: 64.9 %Colusa County64.9El Dorado County: 64.9 %El Dorado County64.9Tehama County: 64.9 %Tehama County64.9Tuolumne County: 63.8 %Tuolumne County63.8Glenn County: 63.3 %Glenn County63.3Yolo County: 62.5 %Yolo County62.5Mendocino County: 61.9 %Mendocino County61.9Marin County: 61.4 %Marin County61.4Placer County: 57.8 %Placer County57.8San Francisco County: 57.8 %San Francisco County57.8Inyo County: 53.4 %Inyo County53.4Nevada County: 53.2 %Nevada County53.2Plumas County: 52.4 %Plumas County52.4Santa Barbara County: 49.6 %Santa Barbara County49.6Santa Clara County: 47.7 %Santa Clara County47.7Solano County: 47.4 %Solano County47.4Mariposa County: 40 %Mariposa County40San Joaquin County: 38.6 %San Joaquin County38.6Napa County: 37.5 %Napa County37.5Trinity County: 37.4 %Trinity County37.4Contra Costa County: 35.9 %Contra Costa County35.9Sutter County: 35.1 %Sutter County35.1Merced County: 34.9 %Merced County34.9Stanislaus County: 34.8 %Stanislaus County34.8Calaveras County: 33.3 %Calaveras County33.3Madera County: 32.1 %Madera County32.1Ventura County: 32.1 %Ventura County32.1San Luis Obispo County: 29.3 %San Luis Obispo County29.3Alameda County: 29 %Alameda County29Sacramento County: 28.8 %Sacramento County28.8Butte County: 27.4 %Butte County27.4Orange County: 23.6 %Orange County23.6Kings County: 22.5 %Kings County22.5Fresno County: 20.8 %Fresno County20.8Imperial County: 20 %Imperial County20Tulare County: 18.4 %Tulare County18.4Kern County: 16.2 %Kern County16.2San Diego County: 11.2 %San Diego County11.2Riverside County: 7.1 %Riverside County7.1Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Los Angeles County2.5San Bernardino County: 2.5 %San Bernardino County2.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Lake County96.7-0.8 pts
2Siskiyou County88-9 pts
3Mono County82.2-3 pts
4Humboldt County81.6+2.9 pts
5Del Norte County80.9-7.2 pts
6Amador County80.4-2.7 pts
7San Benito County77.8-3.6 pts
8Santa Cruz County73.7-9.9 pts
9Sonoma County73.2-15.1 pts
10Monterey County72.6-6.6 pts
11Shasta County71.2-9.7 pts
12San Mateo County65.2+6.7 pts
13Colusa County64.9+4.2 pts
13El Dorado County64.9+4.5 pts
13Tehama County64.9+5.3 pts
16Tuolumne County63.8+0.8 pts
17Glenn County63.3+9.7 pts
18Yolo County62.5-4.7 pts
19Mendocino County61.9-16.9 pts
20Marin County61.4-19.5 pts
21Placer County57.8+6.7 pts
21San Francisco County57.8-6.7 pts
23Inyo County53.4-11.6 pts
24Nevada County53.2-10.2 pts
25Plumas County52.4-4.8 pts
26Santa Barbara County49.6-2.6 pts
27Santa Clara County47.7-3.4 pts
28Solano County47.4-10.8 pts
29Mariposa County40-13.8 pts
30San Joaquin County38.6+21.7 pts
31Napa County37.5-22.3 pts
32Trinity County37.4-12.3 pts
33Contra Costa County35.9-21.5 pts
34Sutter County35.1+3.7 pts
35Merced County34.9+3.5 pts
36Stanislaus County34.8+6.9 pts
37Calaveras County33.3-20 pts
38Madera County32.1+7.2 pts
38Ventura County32.1-0.7 pts
40San Luis Obispo County29.3-9 pts
41Alameda County29-13.3 pts
42Sacramento County28.8-8.4 pts
43Butte County27.4-4 pts
44Orange County23.6-0.2 pts
45Kings County22.5+5.8 pts
46Fresno County20.8+3.9 pts
47Imperial County20+2.5 pts
48Tulare County18.4+3.4 pts
49Kern County16.2+3.6 pts
50San Diego County11.2+3 pts
51Riverside County7.1+0.8 pts
52Los Angeles County2.5+0.6 pts
52San Bernardino County2.50 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. 5 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2017 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), 2017) [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), 2017. 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=2017. 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), 2017. 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=2017.

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), 2017 [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=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_california_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  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=2017. 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), 2017
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=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2017.
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 96.7% in 2017, according to EPA.

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

San Bernardino County, with 2.5% in 2017.

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. 5 counties have no value for 2017 and are not ranked.

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

Counties in California: more rankings