EnviroNearby

Essex County, New York air quality history

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

84%
Good days in 2025
41
Median daily AQI, 2025
5
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 Essex, New York on 365 days. 306 of those days (84%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 41. That median is higher than the typical monitored county in New York (median 36 across 27 counties), and about the same as the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was ozone on 325 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days rose: an average of 76% in 1980–1982 versus 83% 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 227 of 332 days1980: Moderate 57 of 332 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 31 of 332 days1980: Unhealthy 16 of 332 days1980: Very Unhealthy 1 of 332 days19801981: Good 234 of 305 days1981: Moderate 52 of 305 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 305 days1981: Unhealthy 5 of 305 days1982: Good 272 of 327 days1982: Moderate 41 of 327 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 327 days1982: Unhealthy 3 of 327 days1982: Very Unhealthy 1 of 327 days1983: Good 270 of 354 days1983: Moderate 48 of 354 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 29 of 354 days1983: Unhealthy 7 of 354 days1984: Good 272 of 365 days1984: Moderate 64 of 365 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 365 days1984: Unhealthy 4 of 365 days1984: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1985: Good 284 of 365 days1985: Moderate 52 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days19851986: Good 291 of 364 days1986: Moderate 55 of 364 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 364 days1986: Unhealthy 3 of 364 days1987: Good 250 of 365 days1987: Moderate 81 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 29 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days1988: Good 250 of 364 days1988: Moderate 59 of 364 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 364 days1988: Unhealthy 20 of 364 days1988: Very Unhealthy 9 of 364 days1989: Good 250 of 363 days1989: Moderate 85 of 363 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 363 days1989: Unhealthy 6 of 363 days1990: Good 259 of 349 days1990: Moderate 55 of 349 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 30 of 349 days1990: Unhealthy 5 of 349 days19901991: Good 230 of 347 days1991: Moderate 74 of 347 days1991: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 29 of 347 days1991: Unhealthy 13 of 347 days1991: Very Unhealthy 1 of 347 days1992: Good 276 of 366 days1992: Moderate 66 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 16 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy 6 of 366 days1992: Very Unhealthy 2 of 366 days1993: Good 262 of 364 days1993: Moderate 76 of 364 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 364 days1993: Unhealthy 3 of 364 days1994: Good 287 of 365 days1994: Moderate 65 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 12 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1995: Good 268 of 364 days1995: Moderate 76 of 364 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 13 of 364 days1995: Unhealthy 7 of 364 days19951996: Good 265 of 362 days1996: Moderate 84 of 362 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 362 days1996: Unhealthy 3 of 362 days1997: Good 288 of 365 days1997: Moderate 61 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days1998: Good 260 of 358 days1998: Moderate 77 of 358 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 358 days1998: Unhealthy 3 of 358 days1999: Good 249 of 365 days1999: Moderate 94 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days2000: Good 257 of 362 days2000: Moderate 86 of 362 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 362 days2000: Unhealthy 1 of 362 days20002001: Good 249 of 365 days2001: Moderate 96 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 16 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy 4 of 365 days2002: Good 249 of 365 days2002: Moderate 83 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 20 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days2002: Very Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2003: Good 259 of 365 days2003: Moderate 88 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy 7 of 365 days2004: Good 275 of 366 days2004: Moderate 80 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 366 days2005: Good 254 of 365 days2005: Moderate 92 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 18 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days20052006: Good 280 of 365 days2006: Moderate 76 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 9 of 365 days2007: Good 268 of 365 days2007: Moderate 72 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2008: Good 266 of 366 days2008: Moderate 92 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days2009: Good 291 of 365 days2009: Moderate 72 of 365 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2010: Good 284 of 365 days2010: Moderate 72 of 365 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 365 days2010: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days20102011: Good 307 of 364 days2011: Moderate 57 of 364 days2012: Good 296 of 366 days2012: Moderate 62 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days2013: Good 317 of 365 days2013: Moderate 48 of 365 days2014: Good 343 of 365 days2014: Moderate 21 of 365 days2014: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2015: Good 323 of 365 days2015: Moderate 42 of 365 days20152016: Good 330 of 366 days2016: Moderate 34 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 366 days2017: Good 308 of 365 days2017: Moderate 57 of 365 days2018: Good 317 of 365 days2018: Moderate 46 of 365 days2018: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2019: Good 327 of 364 days2019: Moderate 37 of 364 days2020: Good 344 of 365 days2020: Moderate 21 of 365 days20202021: Good 310 of 365 days2021: Moderate 54 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2022: Good 342 of 365 days2022: Moderate 21 of 365 days2022: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2023: Good 296 of 365 days2023: Moderate 59 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2024: Good 310 of 366 days2024: Moderate 56 of 366 days2025: Good 306 of 365 days2025: Moderate 54 of 365 days2025: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days2025: Unhealthy 1 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 1221981: 90th percentile AQI 841982: 90th percentile AQI 671983: 90th percentile AQI 1011984: 90th percentile AQI 931985: 90th percentile AQI 871986: 90th percentile AQI 771987: 90th percentile AQI 1001988: 90th percentile AQI 1291989: 90th percentile AQI 931990: 90th percentile AQI 1011991: 90th percentile AQI 1081992: 90th percentile AQI 801993: 90th percentile AQI 931994: 90th percentile AQI 771995: 90th percentile AQI 871996: 90th percentile AQI 801997: 90th percentile AQI 741998: 90th percentile AQI 871999: 90th percentile AQI 902000: 90th percentile AQI 772001: 90th percentile AQI 872002: 90th percentile AQI 972003: 90th percentile AQI 752004: 90th percentile AQI 692005: 90th percentile AQI 782006: 90th percentile AQI 662007: 90th percentile AQI 802008: 90th percentile AQI 712009: 90th percentile AQI 582010: 90th percentile AQI 642011: 90th percentile AQI 542012: 90th percentile AQI 672013: 90th percentile AQI 522014: 90th percentile AQI 492015: 90th percentile AQI 522016: 90th percentile AQI 502017: 90th percentile AQI 612018: 90th percentile AQI 542019: 90th percentile AQI 512020: 90th percentile AQI 482021: 90th percentile AQI 582022: 90th percentile AQI 482023: 90th percentile AQI 602024: 90th percentile AQI 572025: 90th percentile AQI 611980: Median AQI 401981: Median AQI 361982: Median AQI 361983: Median AQI 381984: Median AQI 401985: Median AQI 381986: Median AQI 401987: Median AQI 421988: Median AQI 421989: Median AQI 431990: Median AQI 421991: Median AQI 431992: Median AQI 431993: Median AQI 411994: Median AQI 421995: Median AQI 421996: Median AQI 421997: Median AQI 421998: Median AQI 441999: Median AQI 442000: Median AQI 432001: Median AQI 442002: Median AQI 432003: Median AQI 442004: Median AQI 422005: Median AQI 442006: Median AQI 422007: Median AQI 432008: Median AQI 432009: Median AQI 422010: Median AQI 422011: Median AQI 412012: Median AQI 412013: Median AQI 402014: Median AQI 392015: Median AQI 402016: Median AQI 392017: Median AQI 402018: Median AQI 412019: Median AQI 422020: Median AQI 392021: Median AQI 402022: Median AQI 412023: Median AQI 422024: Median AQI 412025: Median AQI 411980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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
Ozone32589%
Fine particles (PM2.5)4011%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
20253653065441004161159Ozone
2024366310560000415780Ozone
20233652965982004260161Ozone
20223653422120004148115Ozone
20213653105410004058101Ozone
2020365344210000394880Ozone
2019364327370000425180Ozone
20183653174620004154108Ozone
2017365308570000406190Ozone
20163663303420003950112Ozone
20153653234200004052100Ozone
20143653432110003949101Ozone
20133653174800004052100Ozone
20123662966262004167154Ozone
2011364307570000415493Ozone
20103652847281004264162Ozone
20093652917220004258136Ozone
20083662669262004371159Ozone
200736526872232004380197Ozone
20063652807690004266136Ozone
200536525492181004478156Ozone
200436627580110004269136Ozone
200336525988117004475185Ozone
2002365249832011204397202Ozone
200136524996164004487166Ozone
200036225786181004377195Ozone
199936524994193004490182Ozone
199835826077183004487185Ozone
199736528861142004274172Ozone
199636226584103004280174Ozone
199536426876137004287185Ozone
199436528765121004277154Ozone
199336426276233004193179Ozone
199236627666166204380209Ozone
19913472307429131043108201Ozone
1990349259553050042101159Ozone
198936325085226004393174Ozone
19883642505926209042129220Ozone
1987365250812950042100177Ozone
198636429155153004077172Ozone
198536528452245003887156Ozone
198436527264244104093209Ozone
1983354270482970038101192Ozone
198232727241103103667202Ozone
198130523452145003684179Ozone
19803322275731161040122203Ozone

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