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 2021, at 97.8%. Los Angeles County had the lowest, at 2.5%. The median was 52.9%. Source: EPA.

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Highest97.8Lake County
Median52.953 counties

Map of counties, 2021

Alameda County: 42.5 %Amador County: 84.1 %Butte County: 43.8 %Calaveras County: 60.4 %Colusa County: 30.4 %Contra Costa County: 53.4 %Del Norte County: 80.2 %El Dorado County: 67.7 %Fresno County: 17 %Glenn County: 66.8 %Humboldt County: 91.2 %Imperial County: 23 %Inyo County: 27.4 %Kern County: 9.6 %Kings County: 23 %Lake County: 97.8 %Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Madera County: 36.4 %Marin County: 73.2 %Mariposa County: 52.9 %Mendocino County: 57.5 %Merced County: 42.5 %Mono County: 71.4 %Monterey County: 71.5 %Napa County: 77.1 %Nevada County: 50.1 %Orange County: 29.9 %Placer County: 35.6 %Plumas County: 26.6 %Riverside County: 5.2 %Sacramento County: 40 %San Benito County: 80.8 %San Bernardino County: 4.7 %San Diego County: 14.2 %San Francisco County: 69.9 %San Joaquin County: 38.4 %San Luis Obispo County: 42.2 %San Mateo County: 79.5 %Santa Barbara County: 65.8 %Santa Clara County: 40.3 %Santa Cruz County: 81.6 %Shasta County: 60.8 %Siskiyou County: 65.1 %Solano County: 58.9 %Sonoma County: 77.5 %Stanislaus County: 23 %Sutter County: 28 %Tehama County: 56.7 %Trinity County: 61.3 %Tulare County: 13.4 %Tuolumne County: 81.9 %Ventura County: 43 %Yolo County: 66.3 %
  • Under 23
  • 23 to 39
  • 39 to 53
  • 53 to 66
  • 66 to 77
  • 77 and over
  • No data
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Lake County: 97.8 %Lake County97.8Humboldt County: 91.2 %Humboldt County91.2Amador County: 84.1 %Amador County84.1Tuolumne County: 81.9 %Tuolumne County81.9Santa Cruz County: 81.6 %Santa Cruz County81.6San Benito County: 80.8 %San Benito County80.8Del Norte County: 80.2 %Del Norte County80.2San Mateo County: 79.5 %San Mateo County79.5Sonoma County: 77.5 %Sonoma County77.5Napa County: 77.1 %Napa County77.1Marin County: 73.2 %Marin County73.2Monterey County: 71.5 %Monterey County71.5Mono County: 71.4 %Mono County71.4San Francisco County: 69.9 %San Francisco County69.9El Dorado County: 67.7 %El Dorado County67.7Glenn County: 66.8 %Glenn County66.8Yolo County: 66.3 %Yolo County66.3Santa Barbara County: 65.8 %Santa Barbara County65.8Siskiyou County: 65.1 %Siskiyou County65.1Trinity County: 61.3 %Trinity County61.3Shasta County: 60.8 %Shasta County60.8Calaveras County: 60.4 %Calaveras County60.4Solano County: 58.9 %Solano County58.9Mendocino County: 57.5 %Mendocino County57.5Tehama County: 56.7 %Tehama County56.7Contra Costa County: 53.4 %Contra Costa County53.4Mariposa County: 52.9 %Mariposa County52.9Nevada County: 50.1 %Nevada County50.1Butte County: 43.8 %Butte County43.8Ventura County: 43 %Ventura County43Alameda County: 42.5 %Alameda County42.5Merced County: 42.5 %Merced County42.5San Luis Obispo County: 42.2 %San Luis Obispo County42.2Santa Clara County: 40.3 %Santa Clara County40.3Sacramento County: 40 %Sacramento County40San Joaquin County: 38.4 %San Joaquin County38.4Madera County: 36.4 %Madera County36.4Placer County: 35.6 %Placer County35.6Colusa County: 30.4 %Colusa County30.4Orange County: 29.9 %Orange County29.9Sutter County: 28 %Sutter County28Inyo County: 27.4 %Inyo County27.4Plumas County: 26.6 %Plumas County26.6Imperial County: 23 %Imperial County23Kings County: 23 %Kings County23Stanislaus County: 23 %Stanislaus County23Fresno County: 17 %Fresno County17San Diego County: 14.2 %San Diego County14.2Tulare County: 13.4 %Tulare County13.4Kern County: 9.6 %Kern County9.6Riverside County: 5.2 %Riverside County5.2San Bernardino County: 4.7 %San Bernardino County4.7Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Los Angeles County2.5Lake County: 97.8 %Lake County97.8Humboldt County: 91.2 %Humboldt County91.2Amador County: 84.1 %Amador County84.1Tuolumne County: 81.9 %Tuolumne County81.9Santa Cruz County: 81.6 %Santa Cruz County81.6San Benito County: 80.8 %San Benito County80.8Del Norte County: 80.2 %Del Norte County80.2San Mateo County: 79.5 %San Mateo County79.5Sonoma County: 77.5 %Sonoma County77.5Napa County: 77.1 %Napa County77.1Marin County: 73.2 %Marin County73.2Monterey County: 71.5 %Monterey County71.5Mono County: 71.4 %Mono County71.4San Francisco County: 69.9 %San Francisco County69.9El Dorado County: 67.7 %El Dorado County67.7Glenn County: 66.8 %Glenn County66.8Yolo County: 66.3 %Yolo County66.3Santa Barbara County: 65.8 %Santa Barbara County65.8Siskiyou County: 65.1 %Siskiyou County65.1Trinity County: 61.3 %Trinity County61.3Shasta County: 60.8 %Shasta County60.8Calaveras County: 60.4 %Calaveras County60.4Solano County: 58.9 %Solano County58.9Mendocino County: 57.5 %Mendocino County57.5Tehama County: 56.7 %Tehama County56.7Contra Costa County: 53.4 %Contra Costa County53.4Mariposa County: 52.9 %Mariposa County52.9Nevada County: 50.1 %Nevada County50.1Butte County: 43.8 %Butte County43.8Ventura County: 43 %Ventura County43Alameda County: 42.5 %Alameda County42.5Merced County: 42.5 %Merced County42.5San Luis Obispo County: 42.2 %San Luis Obispo County42.2Santa Clara County: 40.3 %Santa Clara County40.3Sacramento County: 40 %Sacramento County40San Joaquin County: 38.4 %San Joaquin County38.4Madera County: 36.4 %Madera County36.4Placer County: 35.6 %Placer County35.6Colusa County: 30.4 %Colusa County30.4Orange County: 29.9 %Orange County29.9Sutter County: 28 %Sutter County28Inyo County: 27.4 %Inyo County27.4Plumas County: 26.6 %Plumas County26.6Imperial County: 23 %Imperial County23Kings County: 23 %Kings County23Stanislaus County: 23 %Stanislaus County23Fresno County: 17 %Fresno County17San Diego County: 14.2 %San Diego County14.2Tulare County: 13.4 %Tulare County13.4Kern County: 9.6 %Kern County9.6Riverside County: 5.2 %Riverside County5.2San Bernardino County: 4.7 %San Bernardino County4.7Los Angeles County: 2.5 %Los Angeles County2.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Lake County97.8+0.6 pts
2Humboldt County91.2+4.3 pts
3Amador County84.1-7 pts
4Tuolumne County81.9+3.4 pts
5Santa Cruz County81.6+10.3 pts
6San Benito County80.8+6.8 pts
7Del Norte County80.2+14.1 pts
8San Mateo County79.5+9.3 pts
9Sonoma County77.5-1.7 pts
10Napa County77.1+6.1 pts
11Marin County73.2-1.1 pts
12Monterey County71.5+0.7 pts
13Mono County71.4+21.4 pts
14San Francisco County69.9+7.9 pts
15El Dorado County67.7-2.2 pts
16Glenn County66.8+11.9 pts
17Yolo County66.3+7.6 pts
18Santa Barbara County65.8+11.4 pts
19Siskiyou County65.1-9.2 pts
20Trinity County61.3-1.4 pts
21Shasta County60.8-17.3 pts
22Calaveras County60.4+3.8 pts
23Solano County58.9+8.9 pts
24Mendocino County57.5-8.1 pts
25Tehama County56.7-2.3 pts
26Contra Costa County53.4+0.9 pts
27Mariposa County52.9-0.4 pts
28Nevada County50.1-10.8 pts
29Butte County43.8+3.1 pts
30Ventura County43-7.5 pts
31Alameda County42.5-3.7 pts
31Merced County42.5+6.7 pts
33San Luis Obispo County42.2-1.8 pts
34Santa Clara County40.3-7.2 pts
35Sacramento County40+0.4 pts
36San Joaquin County38.4-5.9 pts
37Madera County36.4+8 pts
38Placer County35.6+0.1 pts
39Colusa County30.4-29.2 pts
40Orange County29.9-2.3 pts
41Sutter County28-16.3 pts
42Inyo County27.4-15.8 pts
43Plumas County26.6-10.9 pts
44Imperial County23-2.7 pts
44Kings County23+2.2 pts
44Stanislaus County23-12.8 pts
47Fresno County17-3.5 pts
48San Diego County14.2+5.2 pts
49Tulare County13.4-0.8 pts
50Kern County9.6-5.7 pts
51Riverside County5.2-6.3 pts
52San Bernardino County4.7-4.3 pts
53Los Angeles County2.5-7.1 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. 5 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2021 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), 2021) [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), 2021. 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=2021. 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), 2021. 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=2021.

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), 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_california_by_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  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=2021. 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), 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2021.
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 97.8% in 2021, according to EPA.

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

Los Angeles County, with 2.5% in 2021.

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 2021 and are not ranked.

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

Counties in California: more rankings