Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI)

Fresno County had the highest share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI) of 54 counties in 2013, at 38.1%. Yolo County had the lowest, at 0%. The median was 3%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest38.1Fresno County
Median354 counties

Map of counties, 2013

Alameda County: 2.2 %Alpine County: 21.9 %Amador County: 0.5 %Butte County: 2.5 %Calaveras County: 0.5 %Colusa County: 0.5 %Contra Costa County: 0.8 %Del Norte County: 0 %El Dorado County: 6.3 %Fresno County: 38.1 %Glenn County: 0.3 %Humboldt County: 0.3 %Imperial County: 10.7 %Inyo County: 5.8 %Kern County: 37.3 %Kings County: 26 %Lake County: 0 %Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Madera County: 20.3 %Marin County: 0.5 %Mariposa County: 6 %Mendocino County: 0 %Merced County: 13.2 %Mono County: 3 %Monterey County: 0 %Napa County: 0.8 %Nevada County: 5.8 %Orange County: 3.3 %Placer County: 4.7 %Plumas County: 12.6 %Riverside County: 37.3 %Sacramento County: 9.3 %San Benito County: 1.4 %San Bernardino County: 37 %San Diego County: 10.1 %San Francisco County: 0.5 %San Joaquin County: 9 %San Luis Obispo County: 3.8 %San Mateo County: 1.1 %Santa Barbara County: 0.8 %Santa Clara County: 2.2 %Santa Cruz County: 6 %Shasta County: 0.5 %Siskiyou County: 1.1 %Solano County: 3 %Sonoma County: 0 %Stanislaus County: 17.8 %Sutter County: 2.5 %Tehama County: 3 %Trinity County: 7.3 %Tulare County: 37.8 %Tuolumne County: 0.5 %Ventura County: 3 %Yolo County: 0 %
  • Under 0.5
  • 0.5 to 1
  • 1 to 3
  • 3 to 6.1
  • 6.1 to 18
  • 18 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

Fresno County: 38.1 %Fresno County38.1Tulare County: 37.8 %Tulare County37.8Kern County: 37.3 %Kern County37.3Riverside County: 37.3 %Riverside County37.3San Bernardino County: 37 %San Bernardino County37Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Los Angeles County27.4Kings County: 26 %Kings County26Alpine County: 21.9 %Alpine County21.9Madera County: 20.3 %Madera County20.3Stanislaus County: 17.8 %Stanislaus County17.8Merced County: 13.2 %Merced County13.2Plumas County: 12.6 %Plumas County12.6Imperial County: 10.7 %Imperial County10.7San Diego County: 10.1 %San Diego County10.1Sacramento County: 9.3 %Sacramento County9.3San Joaquin County: 9 %San Joaquin County9Trinity County: 7.3 %Trinity County7.3El Dorado County: 6.3 %El Dorado County6.3Mariposa County: 6 %Mariposa County6Santa Cruz County: 6 %Santa Cruz County6Inyo County: 5.8 %Inyo County5.8Nevada County: 5.8 %Nevada County5.8Placer County: 4.7 %Placer County4.7San Luis Obispo County: 3.8 %San Luis Obispo County3.8Orange County: 3.3 %Orange County3.3Mono County: 3 %Mono County3Solano County: 3 %Solano County3Tehama County: 3 %Tehama County3Ventura County: 3 %Ventura County3Butte County: 2.5 %Butte County2.5Sutter County: 2.5 %Sutter County2.5Alameda County: 2.2 %Alameda County2.2Santa Clara County: 2.2 %Santa Clara County2.2San Benito County: 1.4 %San Benito County1.4San Mateo County: 1.1 %San Mateo County1.1Siskiyou County: 1.1 %Siskiyou County1.1Contra Costa County: 0.8 %Contra Costa County0.8Napa County: 0.8 %Napa County0.8Santa Barbara County: 0.8 %Santa Barbara County0.8Amador County: 0.5 %Amador County0.5Calaveras County: 0.5 %Calaveras County0.5Colusa County: 0.5 %Colusa County0.5Marin County: 0.5 %Marin County0.5San Francisco County: 0.5 %San Francisco County0.5Shasta County: 0.5 %Shasta County0.5Tuolumne County: 0.5 %Tuolumne County0.5Glenn County: 0.3 %Glenn County0.3Humboldt County: 0.3 %Humboldt County0.3Del Norte County: 0 %Del Norte County0Lake County: 0 %Lake County0Mendocino County: 0 %Mendocino County0Monterey County: 0 %Monterey County0Sonoma County: 0 %Sonoma County0Yolo County: 0 %Yolo County0Fresno County: 38.1 %Fresno County38.1Tulare County: 37.8 %Tulare County37.8Kern County: 37.3 %Kern County37.3Riverside County: 37.3 %Riverside County37.3San Bernardino County: 37 %San Bernardino County37Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Los Angeles County27.4Kings County: 26 %Kings County26Alpine County: 21.9 %Alpine County21.9Madera County: 20.3 %Madera County20.3Stanislaus County: 17.8 %Stanislaus County17.8Merced County: 13.2 %Merced County13.2Plumas County: 12.6 %Plumas County12.6Imperial County: 10.7 %Imperial County10.7San Diego County: 10.1 %San Diego County10.1Sacramento County: 9.3 %Sacramento County9.3San Joaquin County: 9 %San Joaquin County9Trinity County: 7.3 %Trinity County7.3El Dorado County: 6.3 %El Dorado County6.3Mariposa County: 6 %Mariposa County6Santa Cruz County: 6 %Santa Cruz County6Inyo County: 5.8 %Inyo County5.8Nevada County: 5.8 %Nevada County5.8Placer County: 4.7 %Placer County4.7San Luis Obispo County: 3.8 %San Luis Obispo County3.8Orange County: 3.3 %Orange County3.3Mono County: 3 %Mono County3Solano County: 3 %Solano County3Tehama County: 3 %Tehama County3Ventura County: 3 %Ventura County3Butte County: 2.5 %Butte County2.5Sutter County: 2.5 %Sutter County2.5Alameda County: 2.2 %Alameda County2.2Santa Clara County: 2.2 %Santa Clara County2.2San Benito County: 1.4 %San Benito County1.4San Mateo County: 1.1 %San Mateo County1.1Siskiyou County: 1.1 %Siskiyou County1.1Contra Costa County: 0.8 %Contra Costa County0.8Napa County: 0.8 %Napa County0.8Santa Barbara County: 0.8 %Santa Barbara County0.8Amador County: 0.5 %Amador County0.5Calaveras County: 0.5 %Calaveras County0.5Colusa County: 0.5 %Colusa County0.5Marin County: 0.5 %Marin County0.5San Francisco County: 0.5 %San Francisco County0.5Shasta County: 0.5 %Shasta County0.5Tuolumne County: 0.5 %Tuolumne County0.5Glenn County: 0.3 %Glenn County0.3Humboldt County: 0.3 %Humboldt County0.3Del Norte County: 0 %Del Norte County0Lake County: 0 %Lake County0Mendocino County: 0 %Mendocino County0Monterey County: 0 %Monterey County0Sonoma County: 0 %Sonoma County0Yolo County: 0 %Yolo County0
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013 (%)Change on 2012
1Fresno County38.1+1.5 pts
2Tulare County37.8+0.1 pts
3Kern County37.3-1.5 pts
3Riverside County37.3-8.3 pts
5San Bernardino County37-2.1 pts
6Los Angeles County27.4-8.1 pts
7Kings County26+8 pts
8Alpine County21.9+17.7 pts
9Madera County20.3-1.8 pts
10Stanislaus County17.8-3.8 pts
11Merced County13.2+3.9 pts
12Plumas County12.6+6.1 pts
13Imperial County10.70 pts
14San Diego County10.1+0.3 pts
15Sacramento County9.3-6.3 pts
16San Joaquin County9-2.5 pts
17Trinity County7.3-2.9 pts
18El Dorado County6.3-7.9 pts
19Mariposa County6-6.6 pts
19Santa Cruz County6+5.7 pts
21Inyo County5.8-2.1 pts
21Nevada County5.8-1.9 pts
23Placer County4.7-6.5 pts
24San Luis Obispo County3.8-6.3 pts
25Orange County3.30 pts
26Mono County3-3.6 pts
26Solano County3+1.6 pts
26Tehama County3-2.2 pts
26Ventura County3-5.7 pts
30Butte County2.5-6 pts
30Sutter County2.5-2.1 pts
32Alameda County2.2+1.1 pts
32Santa Clara County2.2+0.6 pts
34San Benito County1.4-0.8 pts
35San Mateo County1.1+1.1 pts
35Siskiyou County1.1+0.3 pts
37Contra Costa County0.8-0.3 pts
37Napa County0.8+0.8 pts
37Santa Barbara County0.80 pts
40Amador County0.5-5 pts
40Calaveras County0.5-3.1 pts
40Colusa County0.5-1.4 pts
40Marin County0.5+0.5 pts
40San Francisco County0.50 pts
40Shasta County0.5-1.1 pts
40Tuolumne County0.5-3.1 pts
47Glenn County0.30 pts
47Humboldt County0.3+0.3 pts
49Del Norte County00 pts
49Lake County0-0.8 pts
49Mendocino County00 pts
49Monterey County00 pts
49Sonoma County00 pts
49Yolo County0-2.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Days with a daily Air Quality Index above 100 (unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous) 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; the counts are stored with each value.

Use the share rather than the number of days to compare counties, since the days with an AQI differ. 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: days with an AQI above 100 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: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts (Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (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: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts, Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (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/unhealthy-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: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (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/unhealthy-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2026) EPA AirData annual AQI by county: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts, Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unhealthy-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: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts: Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (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/unhealthy-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: days with an AQI above 100 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: days with an AQI above 100 as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts: Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (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/unhealthy-air-quality-days-share/california-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unhealthy-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: days with an AQI above 100 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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in California by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"aqi_unhealthy_sensitive_or_worse_days_share","level":"province","within":"California","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=aqi_unhealthy_sensitive_or_worse_days_share&level=province&within=California&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI)?

Fresno County, with 38.1% in 2013, according to EPA.

Which county has the lowest share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI)?

Yolo County, with 0% 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: days with an AQI above 100 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 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI): other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings