EnviroNearby

Buncombe County, North Carolina air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Buncombe, North Carolina, 1980–2025.

73%
Good days in 2025
40
Median daily AQI, 2025
0
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 Buncombe, North Carolina on 365 days. 268 of those days (73%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 40. That median is about the same as the typical monitored county in North Carolina (median 39 across 33 counties), and about the same as the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 237 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days rose: an average of 66% in 1980–1982 versus 71% 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 104 of 174 days1980: Moderate 38 of 174 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 174 days1980: Unhealthy 6 of 174 days19801981: Good 102 of 167 days1981: Moderate 53 of 167 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 12 of 167 days1982: Good 103 of 135 days1982: Moderate 28 of 135 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 135 days1983: Good 58 of 182 days1983: Moderate 76 of 182 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 41 of 182 days1983: Unhealthy 7 of 182 days1984: Good 183 of 208 days1984: Moderate 23 of 208 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 208 days1985: Good 148 of 192 days1985: Moderate 44 of 192 days19851986: Good 148 of 215 days1986: Moderate 51 of 215 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 215 days1986: Unhealthy 2 of 215 days1987: Good 168 of 231 days1987: Moderate 57 of 231 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 231 days1987: Unhealthy 1 of 231 days1988: Good 59 of 156 days1988: Moderate 64 of 156 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 156 days1988: Unhealthy 7 of 156 days1989: Good 188 of 232 days1989: Moderate 39 of 232 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 232 days1990: Good 195 of 233 days1990: Moderate 32 of 233 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 233 days19901991: Good 221 of 234 days1991: Moderate 13 of 234 days1992: Good 211 of 235 days1992: Moderate 23 of 235 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 235 days1993: Good 252 of 287 days1993: Moderate 34 of 287 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 287 days1994: Good 328 of 365 days1994: Moderate 34 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 365 days1995: Good 314 of 365 days1995: Moderate 41 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 365 days19951996: Good 314 of 360 days1996: Moderate 40 of 360 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 360 days1997: Good 284 of 355 days1997: Moderate 63 of 355 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 8 of 355 days1998: Good 244 of 339 days1998: Moderate 64 of 339 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 339 days1998: Unhealthy 5 of 339 days1999: Good 94 of 256 days1999: Moderate 126 of 256 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 35 of 256 days1999: Unhealthy 1 of 256 days2000: Good 116 of 260 days2000: Moderate 123 of 260 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 260 days2000: Unhealthy 6 of 260 days20002001: Good 123 of 253 days2001: Moderate 118 of 253 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 253 days2001: Unhealthy 1 of 253 days2002: Good 126 of 260 days2002: Moderate 101 of 260 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 27 of 260 days2002: Unhealthy 6 of 260 days2003: Good 137 of 303 days2003: Moderate 160 of 303 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 303 days2004: Good 132 of 357 days2004: Moderate 221 of 357 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 357 days2005: Good 126 of 362 days2005: Moderate 225 of 362 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 362 days2005: Unhealthy 1 of 362 days20052006: Good 122 of 364 days2006: Moderate 237 of 364 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 5 of 364 days2007: Good 114 of 344 days2007: Moderate 220 of 344 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 344 days2008: Good 157 of 364 days2008: Moderate 203 of 364 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 364 days2009: Good 183 of 363 days2009: Moderate 180 of 363 days2010: Good 162 of 364 days2010: Moderate 198 of 364 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 364 days20102011: Good 192 of 364 days2011: Moderate 172 of 364 days2012: Good 209 of 366 days2012: Moderate 155 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 366 days2013: Good 255 of 365 days2013: Moderate 110 of 365 days2014: Good 226 of 364 days2014: Moderate 138 of 364 days2015: Good 256 of 363 days2015: Moderate 107 of 363 days20152016: Good 247 of 366 days2016: Moderate 111 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy 4 of 366 days2017: Good 254 of 365 days2017: Moderate 111 of 365 days2018: Good 261 of 364 days2018: Moderate 103 of 364 days2019: Good 277 of 365 days2019: Moderate 88 of 365 days2020: Good 329 of 363 days2020: Moderate 34 of 363 days20202021: Good 278 of 365 days2021: Moderate 87 of 365 days2022: Good 291 of 365 days2022: Moderate 74 of 365 days2023: Good 261 of 365 days2023: Moderate 104 of 365 days2024: Good 245 of 365 days2024: Moderate 120 of 365 days2025: Good 268 of 365 days2025: Moderate 97 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 901982: 90th percentile AQI 711983: 90th percentile AQI 1261984: 90th percentile AQI 581985: 90th percentile AQI 711986: 90th percentile AQI 971987: 90th percentile AQI 741988: 90th percentile AQI 1151989: 90th percentile AQI 741990: 90th percentile AQI 641991: 90th percentile AQI 481992: 90th percentile AQI 511993: 90th percentile AQI 541994: 90th percentile AQI 511995: 90th percentile AQI 611996: 90th percentile AQI 611997: 90th percentile AQI 741998: 90th percentile AQI 971999: 90th percentile AQI 1122000: 90th percentile AQI 942001: 90th percentile AQI 872002: 90th percentile AQI 1082003: 90th percentile AQI 752004: 90th percentile AQI 762005: 90th percentile AQI 812006: 90th percentile AQI 772007: 90th percentile AQI 832008: 90th percentile AQI 732009: 90th percentile AQI 642010: 90th percentile AQI 682011: 90th percentile AQI 662012: 90th percentile AQI 612013: 90th percentile AQI 582014: 90th percentile AQI 602015: 90th percentile AQI 582016: 90th percentile AQI 602017: 90th percentile AQI 562018: 90th percentile AQI 582019: 90th percentile AQI 552020: 90th percentile AQI 502021: 90th percentile AQI 572022: 90th percentile AQI 542023: 90th percentile AQI 602024: 90th percentile AQI 602025: 90th percentile AQI 571980: Median AQI 451981: Median AQI 471982: Median AQI 431983: Median AQI 741984: Median AQI 371985: Median AQI 401986: Median AQI 401987: Median AQI 441988: Median AQI 641989: Median AQI 391990: Median AQI 381991: Median AQI 321992: Median AQI 361993: Median AQI 361994: Median AQI 321995: Median AQI 301996: Median AQI 331997: Median AQI 321998: Median AQI 361999: Median AQI 592000: Median AQI 542001: Median AQI 512002: Median AQI 522003: Median AQI 532004: Median AQI 562005: Median AQI 552006: Median AQI 562007: Median AQI 582008: Median AQI 532009: Median AQI 502010: Median AQI 522011: Median AQI 492012: Median AQI 472013: Median AQI 432014: Median AQI 452015: Median AQI 412016: Median AQI 432017: Median AQI 432018: Median AQI 402019: Median AQI 422020: Median AQI 342021: Median AQI 412022: Median AQI 382023: Median AQI 432024: Median AQI 432025: Median AQI 401980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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)23765%
Ozone12835%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
2025365268970000405797PM2.5
20243652451200000436081PM2.5
20233652611040000436099PM2.5
2022365291740000385474PM2.5
2021365278870000415781PM2.5
2020363329340000345097PM2.5
2019365277880000425584PM2.5
20183642611030000405893PM2.5
20173652541110000435684PM2.5
201636624711144004360173PM2.5
20153632561070000415887PM2.5
20143642261380000456093PM2.5
20133652551100000435897PM2.5
201236620915520004761150PM2.5
201136419217200004966100PM2.5
201036416219840005268119PM2.5
20093631831800000506497PM2.5
200836415720340005373133PM2.5
2007344114220100005883122PM2.5
200636412223750005677143PM2.5
2005362126225101005581154PM2.5
200435713222140005676133PM2.5
200330313716060005375137PM2.5
20022601261012760052108179Ozone
2001253123118111005187178Ozone
2000260116123156005494179Ozone
1999256941263510059112159Ozone
199833924464265003697195Ozone
19973552846380003274126Ozone
19963603144060003361126Ozone
199536531441100003061126Ozone
19943653283430003251129Ozone
19932872523410003654108Ozone
19922352112310003651101Ozone
1991234221130000324893Ozone
19902331953260003864136Ozone
19892321883950003974143Ozone
198815659642670064115195Ozone
19872311685751004474161Ozone
198621514851142004097156Ozone
19851921484400004071100Ozone
19842081832320003758136Ozone
198318258764170074126164Ozone
19821351032840004371136Ozone
198116710253120004790136Ozone
1980174104382660045122164Ozone

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 North Carolina with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in North Carolina

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