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 52 counties in 2022, at 98.9%. Los Angeles County had the lowest, at 4.7%. The median was 52.5%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest98.9Lake County
Median52.552 counties

Map of counties, 2022

Alameda County: 50.7 %Amador County: 91.5 %Butte County: 52.3 %Calaveras County: 78.6 %Colusa County: 66.1 %Contra Costa County: 47.9 %Del Norte County: 86.9 %El Dorado County: 70.7 %Fresno County: 21.4 %Glenn County: 73.3 %Humboldt County: 93.2 %Imperial County: 23.6 %Inyo County: 32.1 %Kern County: 12.9 %Kings County: 19.5 %Lake County: 98.9 %Los Angeles County: 4.7 %Madera County: 40.3 %Marin County: 75.3 %Mariposa County: 57.8 %Mendocino County: 35.3 %Merced County: 38.4 %Mono County: 75.6 %Monterey County: 81.9 %Nevada County: 50.7 %Orange County: 39.2 %Placer County: 42.7 %Plumas County: 41.2 %Riverside County: 11.2 %Sacramento County: 44.4 %San Benito County: 81.4 %San Bernardino County: 6.3 %San Diego County: 11.5 %San Francisco County: 71.4 %San Joaquin County: 52.6 %San Luis Obispo County: 32.1 %San Mateo County: 73.2 %Santa Barbara County: 54.2 %Santa Clara County: 51.5 %Santa Cruz County: 78.6 %Shasta County: 69.3 %Siskiyou County: 74.3 %Solano County: 64.4 %Sonoma County: 78.4 %Stanislaus County: 29.6 %Sutter County: 42.3 %Tehama County: 67.1 %Trinity County: 64.3 %Tulare County: 15.9 %Tuolumne County: 94.8 %Ventura County: 46.8 %Yolo County: 77.5 %
  • Under 27
  • 27 to 42
  • 42 to 52
  • 52 to 71
  • 71 to 79
  • 79 and over
  • No data
%, 2022. 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, 2022

Lake County: 98.9 %Lake County98.9Tuolumne County: 94.8 %Tuolumne County94.8Humboldt County: 93.2 %Humboldt County93.2Amador County: 91.5 %Amador County91.5Del Norte County: 86.9 %Del Norte County86.9Monterey County: 81.9 %Monterey County81.9San Benito County: 81.4 %San Benito County81.4Calaveras County: 78.6 %Calaveras County78.6Santa Cruz County: 78.6 %Santa Cruz County78.6Sonoma County: 78.4 %Sonoma County78.4Yolo County: 77.5 %Yolo County77.5Mono County: 75.6 %Mono County75.6Marin County: 75.3 %Marin County75.3Siskiyou County: 74.3 %Siskiyou County74.3Glenn County: 73.3 %Glenn County73.3San Mateo County: 73.2 %San Mateo County73.2San Francisco County: 71.4 %San Francisco County71.4El Dorado County: 70.7 %El Dorado County70.7Shasta County: 69.3 %Shasta County69.3Tehama County: 67.1 %Tehama County67.1Colusa County: 66.1 %Colusa County66.1Solano County: 64.4 %Solano County64.4Trinity County: 64.3 %Trinity County64.3Mariposa County: 57.8 %Mariposa County57.8Santa Barbara County: 54.2 %Santa Barbara County54.2San Joaquin County: 52.6 %San Joaquin County52.6Butte County: 52.3 %Butte County52.3Santa Clara County: 51.5 %Santa Clara County51.5Alameda County: 50.7 %Alameda County50.7Nevada County: 50.7 %Nevada County50.7Contra Costa County: 47.9 %Contra Costa County47.9Ventura County: 46.8 %Ventura County46.8Sacramento County: 44.4 %Sacramento County44.4Placer County: 42.7 %Placer County42.7Sutter County: 42.3 %Sutter County42.3Plumas County: 41.2 %Plumas County41.2Madera County: 40.3 %Madera County40.3Orange County: 39.2 %Orange County39.2Merced County: 38.4 %Merced County38.4Mendocino County: 35.3 %Mendocino County35.3Inyo County: 32.1 %Inyo County32.1San Luis Obispo County: 32.1 %San Luis Obispo County32.1Stanislaus County: 29.6 %Stanislaus County29.6Imperial County: 23.6 %Imperial County23.6Fresno County: 21.4 %Fresno County21.4Kings County: 19.5 %Kings County19.5Tulare County: 15.9 %Tulare County15.9Kern County: 12.9 %Kern County12.9San Diego County: 11.5 %San Diego County11.5Riverside County: 11.2 %Riverside County11.2San Bernardino County: 6.3 %San Bernardino County6.3Los Angeles County: 4.7 %Los Angeles County4.7Lake County: 98.9 %Lake County98.9Tuolumne County: 94.8 %Tuolumne County94.8Humboldt County: 93.2 %Humboldt County93.2Amador County: 91.5 %Amador County91.5Del Norte County: 86.9 %Del Norte County86.9Monterey County: 81.9 %Monterey County81.9San Benito County: 81.4 %San Benito County81.4Calaveras County: 78.6 %Calaveras County78.6Santa Cruz County: 78.6 %Santa Cruz County78.6Sonoma County: 78.4 %Sonoma County78.4Yolo County: 77.5 %Yolo County77.5Mono County: 75.6 %Mono County75.6Marin County: 75.3 %Marin County75.3Siskiyou County: 74.3 %Siskiyou County74.3Glenn County: 73.3 %Glenn County73.3San Mateo County: 73.2 %San Mateo County73.2San Francisco County: 71.4 %San Francisco County71.4El Dorado County: 70.7 %El Dorado County70.7Shasta County: 69.3 %Shasta County69.3Tehama County: 67.1 %Tehama County67.1Colusa County: 66.1 %Colusa County66.1Solano County: 64.4 %Solano County64.4Trinity County: 64.3 %Trinity County64.3Mariposa County: 57.8 %Mariposa County57.8Santa Barbara County: 54.2 %Santa Barbara County54.2San Joaquin County: 52.6 %San Joaquin County52.6Butte County: 52.3 %Butte County52.3Santa Clara County: 51.5 %Santa Clara County51.5Alameda County: 50.7 %Alameda County50.7Nevada County: 50.7 %Nevada County50.7Contra Costa County: 47.9 %Contra Costa County47.9Ventura County: 46.8 %Ventura County46.8Sacramento County: 44.4 %Sacramento County44.4Placer County: 42.7 %Placer County42.7Sutter County: 42.3 %Sutter County42.3Plumas County: 41.2 %Plumas County41.2Madera County: 40.3 %Madera County40.3Orange County: 39.2 %Orange County39.2Merced County: 38.4 %Merced County38.4Mendocino County: 35.3 %Mendocino County35.3Inyo County: 32.1 %Inyo County32.1San Luis Obispo County: 32.1 %San Luis Obispo County32.1Stanislaus County: 29.6 %Stanislaus County29.6Imperial County: 23.6 %Imperial County23.6Fresno County: 21.4 %Fresno County21.4Kings County: 19.5 %Kings County19.5Tulare County: 15.9 %Tulare County15.9Kern County: 12.9 %Kern County12.9San Diego County: 11.5 %San Diego County11.5Riverside County: 11.2 %Riverside County11.2San Bernardino County: 6.3 %San Bernardino County6.3Los Angeles County: 4.7 %Los Angeles County4.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Lake County98.9+1.1 pts
2Tuolumne County94.8+12.9 pts
3Humboldt County93.2+2 pts
4Amador County91.5+7.4 pts
5Del Norte County86.9+6.7 pts
6Monterey County81.9+10.4 pts
7San Benito County81.4+0.6 pts
8Calaveras County78.6+18.2 pts
8Santa Cruz County78.6-3 pts
10Sonoma County78.4+0.9 pts
11Yolo County77.5+11.2 pts
12Mono County75.6+4.2 pts
13Marin County75.3+2.1 pts
14Siskiyou County74.3+9.2 pts
15Glenn County73.3+6.5 pts
16San Mateo County73.2-6.3 pts
17San Francisco County71.4+1.5 pts
18El Dorado County70.7+3 pts
19Shasta County69.3+8.5 pts
20Tehama County67.1+10.4 pts
21Colusa County66.1+35.7 pts
22Solano County64.4+5.5 pts
23Trinity County64.3+3 pts
24Mariposa County57.8+4.9 pts
25Santa Barbara County54.2-11.6 pts
26San Joaquin County52.6+14.2 pts
27Butte County52.3+8.5 pts
28Santa Clara County51.5+11.2 pts
29Alameda County50.7+8.2 pts
29Nevada County50.7+0.6 pts
31Contra Costa County47.9-5.5 pts
32Ventura County46.8+3.8 pts
33Sacramento County44.4+4.4 pts
34Placer County42.7+7.1 pts
35Sutter County42.3+14.3 pts
36Plumas County41.2+14.6 pts
37Madera County40.3+3.9 pts
38Orange County39.2+9.3 pts
39Merced County38.4-4.1 pts
40Mendocino County35.3-22.2 pts
41Inyo County32.1+4.7 pts
41San Luis Obispo County32.1-10.1 pts
43Stanislaus County29.6+6.6 pts
44Imperial County23.6+0.6 pts
45Fresno County21.4+4.4 pts
46Kings County19.5-3.5 pts
47Tulare County15.9+2.5 pts
48Kern County12.9+3.3 pts
49San Diego County11.5-2.7 pts
50Riverside County11.2+6 pts
51San Bernardino County6.3+1.6 pts
52Los Angeles County4.7+2.2 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. 6 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2022 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), 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: 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), 2022. 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=2022. 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), 2022. 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=2022.

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), 2022 [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=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_california_by_2022,
  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), 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/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2022. 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), 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/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/good-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2022.
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 98.9% in 2022, according to EPA.

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

Los Angeles County, with 4.7% in 2022.

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. 6 counties have no value for 2022 and are not ranked.

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

Counties in California: more rankings