EnviroNearby

Etowah County, Alabama air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Etowah, Alabama, 1981–2025.

61%
Good days in 2025
45
Median daily AQI, 2025
0
Days above 100 in 2025
363
Days with an AQI in 2025 (of 365)

In 2025, EPA reported a daily Air Quality Index (AQI) for Etowah, Alabama on 363 days. 223 of those days (61%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 45. That median is higher than the typical monitored county in Alabama (median 41 across 14 counties), and higher than the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 266 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days held roughly steady: an average of 58% in 1981–1983 versus 57% in 2023–2025.

Years with fewer than 120 monitored days (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001…) are shown in the table but left out of comparisons and trend statements.

How the days broke down each year

Each bar is one year. The colored segments show the share of monitored days that fell in each AQI category.

Share of monitored days in each AQI category, by year0%25%50%75%100%1981: Good 114 of 188 days1981: Moderate 32 of 188 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 188 days1981: Unhealthy 13 of 188 days1981: Very Unhealthy 3 of 188 days19811982: Good 108 of 197 days1982: Moderate 53 of 197 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 32 of 197 days1982: Unhealthy 4 of 197 days1983: Good 124 of 210 days1983: Moderate 49 of 210 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 210 days1983: Unhealthy 11 of 210 days1984: Good 146 of 259 days1984: Moderate 70 of 259 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 31 of 259 days1984: Unhealthy 11 of 259 days1984: Very Unhealthy 1 of 259 days1985: Good 176 of 282 days1985: Moderate 81 of 282 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 282 days1985: Unhealthy 2 of 282 days1986: Good 164 of 275 days1986: Moderate 70 of 275 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 27 of 275 days1986: Unhealthy 14 of 275 days19861987: Good 40 of 59 days1987: Moderate 19 of 59 days1988: Good 48 of 58 days1988: Moderate 10 of 58 days1989: Good 54 of 57 days1989: Moderate 3 of 57 days1990: Good 52 of 57 days1990: Moderate 5 of 57 days1991: Good 50 of 58 days1991: Moderate 8 of 58 days19911992: Good 57 of 61 days1992: Moderate 4 of 61 days1993: Good 51 of 60 days1993: Moderate 9 of 60 days1994: Good 59 of 61 days1994: Moderate 2 of 61 days1995: Good 58 of 60 days1995: Moderate 2 of 60 days1996: Good 58 of 59 days1996: Moderate 1 of 59 days19961997: Good 54 of 56 days1997: Moderate 2 of 56 days1998: Good 55 of 60 days1998: Moderate 5 of 60 days1999: Good 56 of 59 days1999: Moderate 3 of 59 days2000: Good 28 of 101 days2000: Moderate 66 of 101 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 101 days2001: Good 35 of 110 days2001: Moderate 75 of 110 days20012002: Good 103 of 242 days2002: Moderate 118 of 242 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 242 days2003: Good 144 of 284 days2003: Moderate 130 of 284 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 284 days2004: Good 147 of 284 days2004: Moderate 133 of 284 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 284 days2005: Good 141 of 280 days2005: Moderate 131 of 280 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 280 days2006: Good 148 of 282 days2006: Moderate 128 of 282 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 282 days20062007: Good 99 of 323 days2007: Moderate 202 of 323 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 323 days2008: Good 117 of 340 days2008: Moderate 222 of 340 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 340 days2009: Good 149 of 359 days2009: Moderate 210 of 359 days2010: Good 69 of 363 days2010: Moderate 293 of 363 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 363 days2011: Good 180 of 275 days2011: Moderate 95 of 275 days20112012: Good 196 of 277 days2012: Moderate 81 of 277 days2013: Good 217 of 281 days2013: Moderate 64 of 281 days2014: Good 212 of 281 days2014: Moderate 69 of 281 days2015: Good 132 of 365 days2015: Moderate 226 of 365 days2015: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days2015: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2016: Good 77 of 352 days2016: Moderate 269 of 352 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 352 days2016: Unhealthy 3 of 352 days20162017: Good 155 of 360 days2017: Moderate 203 of 360 days2017: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 360 days2017: Unhealthy 1 of 360 days2018: Good 169 of 324 days2018: Moderate 154 of 324 days2018: Unhealthy 1 of 324 days2019: Good 201 of 279 days2019: Moderate 78 of 279 days2020: Good 239 of 276 days2020: Moderate 37 of 276 days2021: Good 235 of 286 days2021: Moderate 51 of 286 days20212022: Good 224 of 359 days2022: Moderate 135 of 359 days2023: Good 182 of 365 days2023: Moderate 183 of 365 days2024: Good 212 of 362 days2024: Moderate 150 of 362 days2025: Good 223 of 363 days2025: Moderate 140 of 363 days2025
  • Good
  • Moderate
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
  • Unhealthy
  • Very Unhealthy
  • Hazardous

Typical and high-end AQI over time

The median is the middle day of the year. The 90th percentile is the level that only the highest 10% of days exceeded.

Median and 90th-percentile daily AQI, by year0501001501981: 90th percentile AQI 1431982: 90th percentile AQI 1151983: 90th percentile AQI 1291984: 90th percentile AQI 1221985: 90th percentile AQI 971986: 90th percentile AQI 1221987: 90th percentile AQI 571988: 90th percentile AQI 561989: 90th percentile AQI 461990: 90th percentile AQI 491991: 90th percentile AQI 541992: 90th percentile AQI 481993: 90th percentile AQI 551994: 90th percentile AQI 441995: 90th percentile AQI 431996: 90th percentile AQI 371997: 90th percentile AQI 471998: 90th percentile AQI 501999: 90th percentile AQI 462000: 90th percentile AQI 882001: 90th percentile AQI 862002: 90th percentile AQI 972003: 90th percentile AQI 802004: 90th percentile AQI 772005: 90th percentile AQI 812006: 90th percentile AQI 762007: 90th percentile AQI 872008: 90th percentile AQI 742009: 90th percentile AQI 672010: 90th percentile AQI 772011: 90th percentile AQI 642012: 90th percentile AQI 602013: 90th percentile AQI 572014: 90th percentile AQI 562015: 90th percentile AQI 682016: 90th percentile AQI 692017: 90th percentile AQI 662018: 90th percentile AQI 652019: 90th percentile AQI 582020: 90th percentile AQI 532021: 90th percentile AQI 572022: 90th percentile AQI 602023: 90th percentile AQI 652024: 90th percentile AQI 602025: 90th percentile AQI 601981: Median AQI 441982: Median AQI 481983: Median AQI 451984: Median AQI 471985: Median AQI 451986: Median AQI 461987: Median AQI 391988: Median AQI 331989: Median AQI 281990: Median AQI 291991: Median AQI 311992: Median AQI 261993: Median AQI 311994: Median AQI 291995: Median AQI 301996: Median AQI 221997: Median AQI 241998: Median AQI 291999: Median AQI 272000: Median AQI 632001: Median AQI 582002: Median AQI 542003: Median AQI 502004: Median AQI 502005: Median AQI 502006: Median AQI 502007: Median AQI 582008: Median AQI 552009: Median AQI 532010: Median AQI 592011: Median AQI 442012: Median AQI 432013: Median AQI 412014: Median AQI 402015: Median AQI 542016: Median AQI 582017: Median AQI 532018: Median AQI 482019: Median AQI 442020: Median AQI 362021: Median AQI 382022: Median AQI 462023: Median AQI 512024: Median AQI 472025: Median AQI 451981198619911996200120062011201620212025
  • Median daily AQI
  • 90th-percentile daily AQI

Main pollutant by day, 2025

On each monitored day, the AQI reflects whichever measured pollutant had the highest index. This counts how many days each pollutant set the AQI. A pollutant that was not measured here cannot appear.

PollutantDays as main pollutantShare of monitored days
Fine particles (PM2.5)26673%
Ozone9727%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
20253632231400000456087PM2.5
20243622121500000476093PM2.5
202336518218300005165100PM2.5
20223592241350000466093PM2.5
2021286235510000385780Ozone
2020276239370000365393Ozone
2019279201780000445890Ozone
201832416915401004865154PM2.5
201736015520311005366168PM2.5
20163527726933005869190PM2.5
201536513222643005468176PM2.5
2014281212690000405697Ozone
2013281217640000415790Ozone
2012277196810000436087Ozone
2011275180950000446499Ozone
20103636929310005977104PM2.5
20093591492100000536787PM2.5
200834011722210005574105PM2.5
200732399202220005887145PM2.5
200628214812860005076129Ozone
200528014113180005081120Ozone
200428414713340005077112Ozone
2003284144130100005080143Ozone
2002242103118210005497147Ozone
200111035750000588699PM2.5
2000101286670006388141PM2.5
1999595630000274656PM10
1998605550000295056PM10
1997565420000244755PM10
1996595810000223752PM10
1995605820000304359PM10
1994615920000294460PM10
1993605190000315567PM10
1992615740000264863PM10
1991585080000315471PM10
1990575250000294959PM10
1989575430000284654PM10
19885848100000335663PM10
19875940190000395770PM10
19862751647027140046122185Ozone
198528217681232004597154Ozone
19842591467031111047122204Ozone
19832101244926110045129200Ozone
1982197108533240048115192Ozone
19811881143226133044143226Ozone

What this data can and can’t tell you

It is a county-level summary. EPA reports one AQI per day for the county, based on the monitors operating there. Air at a particular street, school or home can differ, especially near roads, industry or wildfire smoke.

It is not a health assessment. The AQI is EPA’s scale for communicating daily air quality. A county’s history can’t tell you what the health risk is for any particular person. For daily conditions and health guidance, see AirNow.

Rules change over time. EPA has revised AQI breakpoints, most recently for fine particles in 2024, so some year-to-year change can reflect the scale rather than the air.

Counties in Alabama with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in Alabama

Source: U.S. EPA AirData, “Annual AQI by County” files for 1981–2025 (EPA download page). EPA file dates: 2026-06-26. Imported into EnviroNearby November 5, 2026. How we use this data · Report a problem