EnviroNearby

Dakota County, Minnesota air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Dakota, Minnesota, 1980–2025.

73%
Good days in 2025
35
Median daily AQI, 2025
10
Days above 100 in 2025
365
Days with an AQI in 2025 (of 365)

In 2025, EPA reported a daily Air Quality Index (AQI) for Dakota, Minnesota on 365 days. 267 of those days (73%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 35. That median is about the same as the typical monitored county in Minnesota (median 37 across 21 counties), and lower than the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 349 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days fell: an average of 91% in 1980–1982 versus 65% in 2023–2025.

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%1980: Good 295 of 334 days1980: Moderate 32 of 334 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 334 days1980: Unhealthy 2 of 334 days19801981: Good 287 of 300 days1981: Moderate 12 of 300 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 300 days1982: Good 291 of 330 days1982: Moderate 39 of 330 days1983: Good 278 of 304 days1983: Moderate 23 of 304 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 304 days1984: Good 310 of 339 days1984: Moderate 27 of 339 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 339 days1985: Good 289 of 353 days1985: Moderate 58 of 353 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 353 days19851986: Good 317 of 338 days1986: Moderate 21 of 338 days1987: Good 273 of 347 days1987: Moderate 62 of 347 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 347 days1987: Unhealthy 1 of 347 days1988: Good 270 of 355 days1988: Moderate 59 of 355 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 355 days1988: Unhealthy 2 of 355 days1989: Good 294 of 352 days1989: Moderate 54 of 352 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 352 days1990: Good 327 of 358 days1990: Moderate 28 of 358 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 358 days1990: Unhealthy 1 of 358 days19901991: Good 315 of 346 days1991: Moderate 28 of 346 days1991: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 346 days1992: Good 321 of 341 days1992: Moderate 14 of 341 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 341 days1992: Unhealthy 1 of 341 days1993: Good 342 of 359 days1993: Moderate 16 of 359 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 359 days1994: Good 346 of 365 days1994: Moderate 16 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 365 days1995: Good 301 of 365 days1995: Moderate 41 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days19951996: Good 319 of 366 days1996: Moderate 40 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 366 days1997: Good 340 of 365 days1997: Moderate 21 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days1998: Good 325 of 365 days1998: Moderate 35 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 365 days1999: Good 317 of 365 days1999: Moderate 46 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2000: Good 305 of 366 days2000: Moderate 55 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 366 days20002001: Good 276 of 365 days2001: Moderate 85 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days2002: Good 282 of 365 days2002: Moderate 79 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2003: Good 193 of 365 days2003: Moderate 166 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 365 days2004: Good 217 of 366 days2004: Moderate 145 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 366 days2005: Good 185 of 365 days2005: Moderate 176 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days20052006: Good 220 of 365 days2006: Moderate 144 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2007: Good 187 of 365 days2007: Moderate 173 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 365 days2008: Good 210 of 366 days2008: Moderate 154 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 366 days2009: Good 198 of 365 days2009: Moderate 161 of 365 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 365 days2009: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2010: Good 191 of 365 days2010: Moderate 168 of 365 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 365 days20102011: Good 206 of 365 days2011: Moderate 159 of 365 days2012: Good 240 of 366 days2012: Moderate 126 of 366 days2013: Good 254 of 365 days2013: Moderate 111 of 365 days2014: Good 279 of 365 days2014: Moderate 86 of 365 days2015: Good 264 of 365 days2015: Moderate 100 of 365 days2015: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days20152016: Good 289 of 366 days2016: Moderate 76 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days2017: Good 267 of 365 days2017: Moderate 98 of 365 days2018: Good 257 of 365 days2018: Moderate 108 of 365 days2019: Good 269 of 365 days2019: Moderate 96 of 365 days2020: Good 260 of 366 days2020: Moderate 105 of 366 days2020: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days20202021: Good 252 of 365 days2021: Moderate 110 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2022: Good 286 of 365 days2022: Moderate 79 of 365 days2023: Good 184 of 365 days2023: Moderate 171 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2024: Good 258 of 366 days2024: Moderate 107 of 366 days2024: Unhealthy 1 of 366 days2025: Good 267 of 365 days2025: Moderate 88 of 365 days2025: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 365 days2025: Unhealthy 5 of 365 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 year0501001980: 90th percentile AQI 581981: 90th percentile AQI 431982: 90th percentile AQI 541983: 90th percentile AQI 491984: 90th percentile AQI 501985: 90th percentile AQI 641986: 90th percentile AQI 451987: 90th percentile AQI 741988: 90th percentile AQI 871989: 90th percentile AQI 641990: 90th percentile AQI 491991: 90th percentile AQI 501992: 90th percentile AQI 451993: 90th percentile AQI 441994: 90th percentile AQI 471995: 90th percentile AQI 741996: 90th percentile AQI 541997: 90th percentile AQI 481998: 90th percentile AQI 511999: 90th percentile AQI 542000: 90th percentile AQI 642001: 90th percentile AQI 652002: 90th percentile AQI 632003: 90th percentile AQI 732004: 90th percentile AQI 722005: 90th percentile AQI 712006: 90th percentile AQI 652007: 90th percentile AQI 702008: 90th percentile AQI 692009: 90th percentile AQI 732010: 90th percentile AQI 732011: 90th percentile AQI 662012: 90th percentile AQI 602013: 90th percentile AQI 612014: 90th percentile AQI 582015: 90th percentile AQI 572016: 90th percentile AQI 562017: 90th percentile AQI 572018: 90th percentile AQI 592019: 90th percentile AQI 612020: 90th percentile AQI 572021: 90th percentile AQI 632022: 90th percentile AQI 552023: 90th percentile AQI 732024: 90th percentile AQI 592025: 90th percentile AQI 621980: Median AQI 331981: Median AQI 251982: Median AQI 371983: Median AQI 311984: Median AQI 341985: Median AQI 391986: Median AQI 341987: Median AQI 311988: Median AQI 331989: Median AQI 361990: Median AQI 321991: Median AQI 311992: Median AQI 301993: Median AQI 291994: Median AQI 321995: Median AQI 361996: Median AQI 381997: Median AQI 341998: Median AQI 311999: Median AQI 332000: Median AQI 352001: Median AQI 372002: Median AQI 342003: Median AQI 482004: Median AQI 452005: Median AQI 492006: Median AQI 432007: Median AQI 492008: Median AQI 462009: Median AQI 482010: Median AQI 482011: Median AQI 462012: Median AQI 402013: Median AQI 362014: Median AQI 322015: Median AQI 392016: Median AQI 342017: Median AQI 372018: Median AQI 412019: Median AQI 362020: Median AQI 402021: Median AQI 392022: Median AQI 342023: Median AQI 492024: Median AQI 382025: Median AQI 351980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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)34996%
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)164%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
20253652678855003562175PM2.5
202436625810701003859152PM2.5
202336518417173004973185PM2.5
2022365286790000345582PM2.5
202136525211012003963157PM2.5
202036626010510004057135PM2.5
2019365269960000366190PM2.5
20183652571080000415992PM2.5
2017365267980000375785PM2.5
20163662897610003456135PM2.5
201536526410010003957137PM2.5
2014365279860000325888PM2.5
20133652541110000366185PM2.5
20123662401260000406095PM2.5
20113652061590000466697PM2.5
201036519116860004873125PM2.5
200936519816151004873154PM2.5
200836621015420004669133PM2.5
200736518717350004970141PM2.5
200636522014410004365102PM2.5
200536518517631004971153PM2.5
200436621714540004572136PM2.5
200336519316660004873147PM2.5
20023652827931003463172Ozone
20013652768540003765129Ozone
20003663055560003564121NO2
19993653174620003354108Ozone
19983653253550003151129Ozone
19973653402140003448143Ozone
19963663194070003854147Ozone
199536530141221003674157Ozone
19943653461630003247112Ozone
19933593421610002944108Ozone
19923413211451003045185Ozone
19913463152830003150122Ozone
19903583272821003249156Ozone
19893522945440003664133Ozone
198835527059242003387161Ozone
198734727362111003174174Ozone
1986338317210000344597Ozone
19853532895860003964150Ozone
19843393102720003450119Ozone
19833042782330003149147Ozone
1982330291390000375497Ozone
19813002871210002543112Ozone
19803342953252003358179Ozone

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 Minnesota with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in Minnesota

Source: U.S. EPA AirData, “Annual AQI by County” files for 1980–2025 (EPA download page). EPA file dates: 2026-06-26. Imported into EnviroNearby November 5, 2026. How we use this data · Report a problem