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

El Paso County had the highest share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI) of 45 counties in 2024, at 17.2%. Wilson County had the lowest, at 0%. The median was 1.4%. Source: EPA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest17.2El Paso County
Median1.445 counties

Map of counties, 2024

Atascosa County: 2.3 %Bell County: 1.4 %Bexar County: 6 %Bowie County: 0 %Brazoria County: 1.6 %Brazos County: 0.3 %Brewster County: 0.6 %Cameron County: 16.7 %Collin County: 3 %Culberson County: 0 %Dallas County: 5.2 %Denton County: 7.7 %Ector County: 0 %Ellis County: 0.3 %El Paso County: 17.2 %Galveston County: 2.2 %Gregg County: 0.6 %Harris County: 12.8 %Harrison County: 0.8 %Hidalgo County: 6.6 %Hood County: 1.7 %Hunt County: 0.6 %Jefferson County: 2.2 %Johnson County: 2.9 %Karnes County: 0 %Kaufman County: 2.2 %Kleberg County: 1.1 %Lubbock County: 0 %McLennan County: 1.4 %Maverick County: 0 %Montgomery County: 5.8 %Navarro County: 2.2 %Nueces County: 4.4 %Orange County: 0.8 %Parker County: 1.7 %Polk County: 0 %Potter County: 0.3 %Randall County: 0.6 %Rockwall County: 0.6 %Smith County: 0.3 %Tarrant County: 8.2 %Travis County: 1.9 %Victoria County: 0.6 %Webb County: 4.1 %Wilson County: 0 %
  • Under 0.1
  • 0.1 to 0.6
  • 0.6 to 1.4
  • 1.4 to 2.2
  • 2.2 to 5.6
  • 5.6 and over
  • No data
%, 2024. 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, 2024

El Paso County: 17.2 %El Paso County17.2Cameron County: 16.7 %Cameron County16.7Harris County: 12.8 %Harris County12.8Tarrant County: 8.2 %Tarrant County8.2Denton County: 7.7 %Denton County7.7Hidalgo County: 6.6 %Hidalgo County6.6Bexar County: 6 %Bexar County6Montgomery County: 5.8 %Montgomery County5.8Dallas County: 5.2 %Dallas County5.2Nueces County: 4.4 %Nueces County4.4Webb County: 4.1 %Webb County4.1Collin County: 3 %Collin County3Johnson County: 2.9 %Johnson County2.9Atascosa County: 2.3 %Atascosa County2.3Galveston County: 2.2 %Galveston County2.2Jefferson County: 2.2 %Jefferson County2.2Kaufman County: 2.2 %Kaufman County2.2Navarro County: 2.2 %Navarro County2.2Travis County: 1.9 %Travis County1.9Hood County: 1.7 %Hood County1.7Parker County: 1.7 %Parker County1.7Brazoria County: 1.6 %Brazoria County1.6Bell County: 1.4 %Bell County1.4McLennan County: 1.4 %McLennan County1.4Kleberg County: 1.1 %Kleberg County1.1Harrison County: 0.8 %Harrison County0.8Orange County: 0.8 %Orange County0.8Brewster County: 0.6 %Brewster County0.6Gregg County: 0.6 %Gregg County0.6Hunt County: 0.6 %Hunt County0.6Randall County: 0.6 %Randall County0.6Rockwall County: 0.6 %Rockwall County0.6Victoria County: 0.6 %Victoria County0.6Brazos County: 0.3 %Brazos County0.3Ellis County: 0.3 %Ellis County0.3Potter County: 0.3 %Potter County0.3Smith County: 0.3 %Smith County0.3Bowie County: 0 %Bowie County0Culberson County: 0 %Culberson County0Ector County: 0 %Ector County0Karnes County: 0 %Karnes County0Lubbock County: 0 %Lubbock County0Maverick County: 0 %Maverick County0Polk County: 0 %Polk County0Wilson County: 0 %Wilson County0El Paso County: 17.2 %El Paso County17.2Cameron County: 16.7 %Cameron County16.7Harris County: 12.8 %Harris County12.8Tarrant County: 8.2 %Tarrant County8.2Denton County: 7.7 %Denton County7.7Hidalgo County: 6.6 %Hidalgo County6.6Bexar County: 6 %Bexar County6Montgomery County: 5.8 %Montgomery County5.8Dallas County: 5.2 %Dallas County5.2Nueces County: 4.4 %Nueces County4.4Webb County: 4.1 %Webb County4.1Collin County: 3 %Collin County3Johnson County: 2.9 %Johnson County2.9Atascosa County: 2.3 %Atascosa County2.3Galveston County: 2.2 %Galveston County2.2Jefferson County: 2.2 %Jefferson County2.2Kaufman County: 2.2 %Kaufman County2.2Navarro County: 2.2 %Navarro County2.2Travis County: 1.9 %Travis County1.9Hood County: 1.7 %Hood County1.7Parker County: 1.7 %Parker County1.7Brazoria County: 1.6 %Brazoria County1.6Bell County: 1.4 %Bell County1.4McLennan County: 1.4 %McLennan County1.4Kleberg County: 1.1 %Kleberg County1.1Harrison County: 0.8 %Harrison County0.8Orange County: 0.8 %Orange County0.8Brewster County: 0.6 %Brewster County0.6Gregg County: 0.6 %Gregg County0.6Hunt County: 0.6 %Hunt County0.6Randall County: 0.6 %Randall County0.6Rockwall County: 0.6 %Rockwall County0.6Victoria County: 0.6 %Victoria County0.6Brazos County: 0.3 %Brazos County0.3Ellis County: 0.3 %Ellis County0.3Potter County: 0.3 %Potter County0.3Smith County: 0.3 %Smith County0.3Bowie County: 0 %Bowie County0Culberson County: 0 %Culberson County0Ector County: 0 %Ector County0Karnes County: 0 %Karnes County0Lubbock County: 0 %Lubbock County0Maverick County: 0 %Maverick County0Polk County: 0 %Polk County0Wilson County: 0 %Wilson County0
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from EPA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1El Paso County17.2+12 pts
2Cameron County16.7+15.1 pts
3Harris County12.8-0.4 pts
4Tarrant County8.2+0.8 pts
5Denton County7.7-1.1 pts
6Hidalgo County6.6+6.6 pts
7Bexar County6+2.7 pts
8Montgomery County5.8+3.3 pts
9Dallas County5.2-2.2 pts
10Nueces County4.4+3.9 pts
11Webb County4.1+2.7 pts
12Collin County3-2.9 pts
13Johnson County2.9+0.7 pts
14Atascosa County2.3+2.3 pts
15Galveston County2.2-3.6 pts
15Jefferson County2.2-0.3 pts
15Kaufman County2.2-0.3 pts
15Navarro County2.2+2.2 pts
19Travis County1.9-1.1 pts
20Hood County1.7-1.3 pts
20Parker County1.7-0.3 pts
22Brazoria County1.6-3.1 pts
23Bell County1.4-0.2 pts
23McLennan County1.4-0.8 pts
25Kleberg County1.1+1.1 pts
26Harrison County0.8+0.5 pts
26Orange County0.8+0.5 pts
28Brewster County0.6+0.3 pts
28Gregg County0.6+0.1 pts
28Hunt County0.60 pts
28Randall County0.6+0.3 pts
28Rockwall County0.6+0.6 pts
28Victoria County0.6+0.6 pts
34Brazos County0.3+0.3 pts
34Ellis County0.3-0.3 pts
34Potter County0.3-0.3 pts
34Smith County0.3-0.8 pts
38Bowie County0-0.3 pts
38Culberson County00 pts
38Ector County00 pts
38Karnes County00 pts
38Lubbock County0-0.3 pts
38Maverick County0-0.3 pts
38Polk County00 pts
38Wilson County00 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. 18 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2024 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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024) [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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024. 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/texas-counties?period=2024. 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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024. 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/texas-counties?period=2024.

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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unhealthy-air-quality-days-share/texas-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{environmental_counties_in_texas_by_2024,
  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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024}},
  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/texas-counties?period=2024. 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 Texas by share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI), 2024
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/texas-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unhealthy-air-quality-days-share/texas-counties?period=2024.
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 Texas 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":"Texas","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=aqi_unhealthy_sensitive_or_worse_days_share&level=province&within=Texas&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)?

El Paso County, with 17.2% in 2024, according to EPA.

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

Wilson County, with 0% in 2024.

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. 18 counties have no value for 2024 and are not ranked.

Share of days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse (US EPA AQI): other rankings

Counties in Texas: more rankings