EnviroNearby

Ocean County, New Jersey air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Ocean, New Jersey, 1980–2025.

79%
Good days in 2025
39
Median daily AQI, 2025
1
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 Ocean, New Jersey on 363 days. 286 of those days (79%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 39. That median is about the same as the typical monitored county in New Jersey (median 40 across 15 counties), and about the same as the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was ozone on 193 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days fell: an average of 83% in 1980–1982 versus 76% 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 239 of 340 days1980: Moderate 100 of 340 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 340 days19801981: Good 314 of 362 days1981: Moderate 48 of 362 days1982: Good 324 of 356 days1982: Moderate 32 of 356 days1983: Good 255 of 355 days1983: Moderate 100 of 355 days1984: Good 276 of 362 days1984: Moderate 86 of 362 days1985: Good 236 of 361 days1985: Moderate 77 of 361 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 361 days1985: Unhealthy 16 of 361 days1985: Very Unhealthy 6 of 361 days19851986: Good 258 of 357 days1986: Moderate 64 of 357 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 357 days1986: Unhealthy 11 of 357 days1986: Very Unhealthy 3 of 357 days1987: Good 323 of 355 days1987: Moderate 32 of 355 days1988: Good 343 of 362 days1988: Moderate 19 of 362 days1989: Good 352 of 364 days1989: Moderate 12 of 364 days1990: Good 356 of 363 days1990: Moderate 7 of 363 days19901991: Good 354 of 362 days1991: Moderate 8 of 362 days1992: Good 292 of 364 days1992: Moderate 44 of 364 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 364 days1992: Unhealthy 6 of 364 days1992: Very Unhealthy 1 of 364 days1993: Good 268 of 365 days1993: Moderate 51 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 27 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy 16 of 365 days1993: Very Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1994: Good 266 of 365 days1994: Moderate 52 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 39 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days1995: Good 269 of 365 days1995: Moderate 56 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days1995: Very Unhealthy 6 of 365 days19951996: Good 276 of 365 days1996: Moderate 59 of 365 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 365 days1996: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days1996: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1997: Good 277 of 365 days1997: Moderate 46 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy 16 of 365 days1997: Very Unhealthy 4 of 365 days1998: Good 264 of 365 days1998: Moderate 49 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy 24 of 365 days1998: Very Unhealthy 2 of 365 days1999: Good 155 of 257 days1999: Moderate 58 of 257 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 257 days1999: Unhealthy 18 of 257 days1999: Very Unhealthy 3 of 257 days2000: Good 154 of 273 days2000: Moderate 85 of 273 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 273 days2000: Unhealthy 6 of 273 days2000: Very Unhealthy 4 of 273 days20002001: Good 131 of 260 days2001: Moderate 81 of 260 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 29 of 260 days2001: Unhealthy 15 of 260 days2001: Very Unhealthy 4 of 260 days2002: Good 158 of 284 days2002: Moderate 74 of 284 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 284 days2002: Unhealthy 19 of 284 days2002: Very Unhealthy 9 of 284 days2003: Good 155 of 265 days2003: Moderate 77 of 265 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 265 days2003: Unhealthy 7 of 265 days2003: Very Unhealthy 2 of 265 days2004: Good 165 of 267 days2004: Moderate 72 of 267 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 267 days2004: Unhealthy 6 of 267 days2005: Good 156 of 278 days2005: Moderate 86 of 278 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 278 days2005: Unhealthy 11 of 278 days2005: Very Unhealthy 1 of 278 days20052006: Good 157 of 262 days2006: Moderate 82 of 262 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 262 days2006: Unhealthy 9 of 262 days2007: Good 177 of 343 days2007: Moderate 140 of 343 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 343 days2007: Unhealthy 5 of 343 days2008: Good 200 of 363 days2008: Moderate 138 of 363 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 363 days2008: Unhealthy 2 of 363 days2009: Good 225 of 357 days2009: Moderate 126 of 357 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 357 days2010: Good 218 of 360 days2010: Moderate 116 of 360 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 360 days2010: Unhealthy 4 of 360 days20102011: Good 210 of 353 days2011: Moderate 128 of 353 days2011: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 12 of 353 days2011: Unhealthy 3 of 353 days2012: Good 233 of 351 days2012: Moderate 101 of 351 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 351 days2012: Unhealthy 2 of 351 days2013: Good 236 of 363 days2013: Moderate 124 of 363 days2013: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 363 days2014: Good 245 of 351 days2014: Moderate 102 of 351 days2014: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 351 days2015: Good 238 of 356 days2015: Moderate 108 of 356 days2015: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 9 of 356 days2015: Unhealthy 1 of 356 days20152016: Good 260 of 362 days2016: Moderate 96 of 362 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 362 days2016: Unhealthy 1 of 362 days2017: Good 284 of 359 days2017: Moderate 71 of 359 days2017: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 359 days2018: Good 264 of 349 days2018: Moderate 77 of 349 days2018: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 349 days2019: Good 266 of 349 days2019: Moderate 81 of 349 days2019: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 349 days2020: Good 290 of 356 days2020: Moderate 66 of 356 days20202021: Good 253 of 357 days2021: Moderate 100 of 357 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 357 days2022: Good 287 of 358 days2022: Moderate 68 of 358 days2022: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 358 days2023: Good 261 of 365 days2023: Moderate 95 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2023: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2024: Good 280 of 366 days2024: Moderate 82 of 366 days2024: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 366 days2025: Good 286 of 363 days2025: Moderate 76 of 363 days2025: Unhealthy 1 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 year0501001501980: 90th percentile AQI 651981: 90th percentile AQI 521982: 90th percentile AQI 501983: 90th percentile AQI 621984: 90th percentile AQI 601985: 90th percentile AQI 1191986: 90th percentile AQI 1001987: 90th percentile AQI 491988: 90th percentile AQI 431989: 90th percentile AQI 411990: 90th percentile AQI 381991: 90th percentile AQI 391992: 90th percentile AQI 901993: 90th percentile AQI 1121994: 90th percentile AQI 1151995: 90th percentile AQI 1121996: 90th percentile AQI 871997: 90th percentile AQI 1081998: 90th percentile AQI 1291999: 90th percentile AQI 1402000: 90th percentile AQI 1052001: 90th percentile AQI 1402002: 90th percentile AQI 1502003: 90th percentile AQI 1082004: 90th percentile AQI 1082005: 90th percentile AQI 1122006: 90th percentile AQI 972007: 90th percentile AQI 902008: 90th percentile AQI 872009: 90th percentile AQI 672010: 90th percentile AQI 932011: 90th percentile AQI 672012: 90th percentile AQI 682013: 90th percentile AQI 612014: 90th percentile AQI 602015: 90th percentile AQI 742016: 90th percentile AQI 642017: 90th percentile AQI 582018: 90th percentile AQI 612019: 90th percentile AQI 602020: 90th percentile AQI 552021: 90th percentile AQI 602022: 90th percentile AQI 582023: 90th percentile AQI 642024: 90th percentile AQI 622025: 90th percentile AQI 581980: Median AQI 411981: Median AQI 321982: Median AQI 301983: Median AQI 411984: Median AQI 381985: Median AQI 411986: Median AQI 391987: Median AQI 311988: Median AQI 251989: Median AQI 251990: Median AQI 241991: Median AQI 241992: Median AQI 331993: Median AQI 391994: Median AQI 401995: Median AQI 371996: Median AQI 371997: Median AQI 391998: Median AQI 381999: Median AQI 462000: Median AQI 462001: Median AQI 502002: Median AQI 482003: Median AQI 472004: Median AQI 452005: Median AQI 482006: Median AQI 452007: Median AQI 502008: Median AQI 472009: Median AQI 442010: Median AQI 462011: Median AQI 462012: Median AQI 432013: Median AQI 442014: Median AQI 422015: Median AQI 432016: Median AQI 402017: Median AQI 402018: Median AQI 392019: Median AQI 402020: Median AQI 382021: Median AQI 422022: Median AQI 402023: Median AQI 422024: Median AQI 412025: Median AQI 391980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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
Ozone19353%
Fine particles (PM2.5)17047%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
20253632867601003958154Ozone
20243662808240004162140Ozone
20233652619571104264248PM2.5
20223582876830004058105Ozone
202135725310040004260126PM2.5
2020356290660000385584PM2.5
20193492668120004060150Ozone
20183492647780003961143PM2.5
20173592847140004058133Ozone
20163622609651004064161PM2.5
201535623810891004374161Ozone
201435124510240004260119PM2.5
201336323612430004461119PM2.5
2012351233101152004368161Ozone
2011353210128123004667190PM2.5
2010360218116224004693172Ozone
200935722512660004467150PM2.5
2008363200138232004787187PM2.5
2007343177140215005090164PM2.5
200626215782149004597185Ozone
20052781568624111048112203Ozone
2004267165722460045108192Ozone
2003265155772472047108212Ozone
20022841587424199048150236Ozone
20012601318129154050140218Ozone
2000273154852464046105227Ozone
19992571555823183046140212Ozone
19983652644926242038129208Ozone
19973652774622164039108247Ozone
1996365276591811103787203Ozone
19953652695623116037112244Ozone
1994365266523980040115195Ozone
19933652685127163039112221Ozone
199236429244216103390222Ozone
199136235480000243967CO
199036335670000243873CO
1989364352120000254166CO
1988362343190000254376CO
1987355323320000314971CO
19863572586421113039100208CO
19853612367726166041119223CO
1984362276860000386086CO
19833552551000000416298CO
1982356324320000305099CO
1981362314480000325289CO
198034023910010004165136CO

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 New Jersey with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in New Jersey

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