EnviroNearby

Erie County, New York air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Erie, New York, 1980–2025.

64%
Good days in 2025
44
Median daily AQI, 2025
11
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 Erie, New York on 365 days. 233 of those days (64%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 44. That median is higher than the typical monitored county in New York (median 36 across 27 counties), and higher than the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 209 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days fell: an average of 70% in 1980–1982 versus 61% 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 288 of 366 days1980: Moderate 61 of 366 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 366 days1980: Unhealthy 3 of 366 days19801981: Good 242 of 365 days1981: Moderate 88 of 365 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 365 days1981: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days1982: Good 233 of 365 days1982: Moderate 110 of 365 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 365 days1982: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1983: Good 218 of 365 days1983: Moderate 112 of 365 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days1983: Unhealthy 13 of 365 days1984: Good 258 of 366 days1984: Moderate 81 of 366 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 366 days1984: Unhealthy 8 of 366 days1985: Good 228 of 365 days1985: Moderate 108 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy 7 of 365 days1985: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days19851986: Good 248 of 365 days1986: Moderate 93 of 365 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 365 days1986: Unhealthy 6 of 365 days1987: Good 225 of 365 days1987: Moderate 103 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy 16 of 365 days1987: Very Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1988: Good 250 of 366 days1988: Moderate 81 of 366 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 9 of 366 days1988: Unhealthy 14 of 366 days1988: Very Unhealthy 12 of 366 days1989: Good 261 of 365 days1989: Moderate 80 of 365 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days1989: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1989: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1990: Good 271 of 365 days1990: Moderate 73 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy 7 of 365 days19901991: Good 276 of 365 days1991: Moderate 64 of 365 days1991: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 17 of 365 days1991: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days1992: Good 319 of 366 days1992: Moderate 38 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy 1 of 366 days1993: Good 308 of 365 days1993: Moderate 51 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 365 days1994: Good 293 of 365 days1994: Moderate 61 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 365 days1995: Good 279 of 365 days1995: Moderate 76 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days19951996: Good 282 of 366 days1996: Moderate 78 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy 1 of 366 days1997: Good 312 of 365 days1997: Moderate 47 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 365 days1998: Good 256 of 365 days1998: Moderate 78 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy 13 of 365 days1999: Good 230 of 365 days1999: Moderate 99 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 31 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days2000: Good 219 of 366 days2000: Moderate 137 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy 3 of 366 days20002001: Good 203 of 365 days2001: Moderate 133 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy 9 of 365 days2001: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2002: Good 218 of 365 days2002: Moderate 107 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy 18 of 365 days2002: Very Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2003: Good 216 of 365 days2003: Moderate 132 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy 6 of 365 days2003: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2004: Good 236 of 366 days2004: Moderate 114 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 16 of 366 days2005: Good 211 of 365 days2005: Moderate 123 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days20052006: Good 233 of 365 days2006: Moderate 117 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 13 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2007: Good 115 of 365 days2007: Moderate 219 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 28 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2008: Good 92 of 366 days2008: Moderate 264 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 366 days2009: Good 130 of 365 days2009: Moderate 232 of 365 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 365 days2010: Good 149 of 365 days2010: Moderate 209 of 365 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 365 days20102011: Good 153 of 365 days2011: Moderate 210 of 365 days2011: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2012: Good 156 of 366 days2012: Moderate 196 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 13 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy 1 of 366 days2013: Good 187 of 365 days2013: Moderate 174 of 365 days2013: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days2014: Good 158 of 365 days2014: Moderate 206 of 365 days2014: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2015: Good 156 of 365 days2015: Moderate 205 of 365 days2015: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days20152016: Good 210 of 366 days2016: Moderate 150 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 366 days2017: Good 205 of 365 days2017: Moderate 159 of 365 days2017: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2018: Good 220 of 365 days2018: Moderate 143 of 365 days2018: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2019: Good 262 of 365 days2019: Moderate 103 of 365 days2020: Good 278 of 366 days2020: Moderate 86 of 366 days2020: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days20202021: Good 225 of 365 days2021: Moderate 139 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2022: Good 238 of 365 days2022: Moderate 125 of 365 days2022: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2023: Good 198 of 365 days2023: Moderate 159 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2024: Good 234 of 366 days2024: Moderate 131 of 366 days2024: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days2025: Good 233 of 365 days2025: Moderate 121 of 365 days2025: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 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 year0501001501980: 90th percentile AQI 681981: 90th percentile AQI 971982: 90th percentile AQI 871983: 90th percentile AQI 991984: 90th percentile AQI 841985: 90th percentile AQI 931986: 90th percentile AQI 851987: 90th percentile AQI 1011988: 90th percentile AQI 1001989: 90th percentile AQI 841990: 90th percentile AQI 791991: 90th percentile AQI 811992: 90th percentile AQI 541993: 90th percentile AQI 601994: 90th percentile AQI 711995: 90th percentile AQI 671996: 90th percentile AQI 711997: 90th percentile AQI 561998: 90th percentile AQI 1001999: 90th percentile AQI 1002000: 90th percentile AQI 792001: 90th percentile AQI 932002: 90th percentile AQI 1122003: 90th percentile AQI 772004: 90th percentile AQI 782005: 90th percentile AQI 972006: 90th percentile AQI 772007: 90th percentile AQI 932008: 90th percentile AQI 802009: 90th percentile AQI 712010: 90th percentile AQI 802011: 90th percentile AQI 722012: 90th percentile AQI 762013: 90th percentile AQI 652014: 90th percentile AQI 662015: 90th percentile AQI 682016: 90th percentile AQI 632017: 90th percentile AQI 652018: 90th percentile AQI 672019: 90th percentile AQI 592020: 90th percentile AQI 572021: 90th percentile AQI 642022: 90th percentile AQI 612023: 90th percentile AQI 692024: 90th percentile AQI 622025: 90th percentile AQI 671980: Median AQI 391981: Median AQI 421982: Median AQI 441983: Median AQI 461984: Median AQI 441985: Median AQI 421986: Median AQI 431987: Median AQI 451988: Median AQI 421989: Median AQI 421990: Median AQI 411991: Median AQI 381992: Median AQI 361993: Median AQI 361994: Median AQI 381995: Median AQI 401996: Median AQI 421997: Median AQI 371998: Median AQI 411999: Median AQI 442000: Median AQI 462001: Median AQI 472002: Median AQI 462003: Median AQI 442004: Median AQI 422005: Median AQI 472006: Median AQI 422007: Median AQI 552008: Median AQI 572009: Median AQI 542010: Median AQI 532011: Median AQI 522012: Median AQI 522013: Median AQI 502014: Median AQI 522015: Median AQI 522016: Median AQI 472017: Median AQI 482018: Median AQI 452019: Median AQI 432020: Median AQI 412021: Median AQI 462022: Median AQI 442023: Median AQI 482024: Median AQI 432025: Median AQI 441980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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)20957%
Ozone15442%
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)21%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
2025365233121110004467140PM2.5
202436623413110004362105PM2.5
202336519815953004869176PM2.5
202236523812520004461150PM2.5
202136522513910004664101PM2.5
20203662788602004157157PM2.5
20193652621030000435993PM2.5
201836522014320004567112PM2.5
201736520515910004865119PM2.5
201636621015060004763136PM2.5
201536515620540005268119PM2.5
201436515820610005266101PM2.5
201336518717440005065122PM2.5
2012366156196131005276151PM2.5
201136515321020005272115PM2.5
201036514920970005380122PM2.5
200936513023230005471126PM2.5
200836692264100005780129PM2.5
2007365115219283005593156PM2.5
2006365233117132004277151Ozone
2005365211123265004797195Ozone
2004366236114160004278140Ozone
2003365216132106104477201Ozone
200236521810719183046112208Ozone
2001365203133199104793209Ozone
200036621913773004679187NO2
1999365230993150044100200NO2
19983652567818130041100182Ozone
19973653124760003756143NO2
19963662827851004271154NO2
19953652797682004067182NO2
199436529361110003871143NO2
19933653085160003660126NO2
19923663193881003654190NO2
199136527664178003881182NO2
199036527173147004179200NO2
198936526180221104284207NO2
19883662508191412042100229NO2
198736522510318163045101209NO2
198636524893186004385182NO2
1985365228108217104293202NO2
198436625881198004484185NO2
19833652181122213004699185NO2
1982365233110193004487169NO2
1981365242882411004297197NO2
198036628861143003968164NO2

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 York with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in New York

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