EnviroNearby

Cumberland County, North Carolina air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Cumberland, North Carolina, 1981–2025.

69%
Good days in 2025
44
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 Cumberland, North Carolina on 365 days. 251 of those days (69%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 44. That median is higher than the typical monitored county in North Carolina (median 39 across 33 counties), and higher than the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 235 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days rose: an average of 54% in 1981–1983 versus 62% 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%1981: Good 115 of 200 days1981: Moderate 58 of 200 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 25 of 200 days1981: Unhealthy 2 of 200 days19811982: Good 105 of 180 days1982: Moderate 56 of 180 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 180 days1982: Unhealthy 4 of 180 days1983: Good 90 of 199 days1983: Moderate 60 of 199 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 28 of 199 days1983: Unhealthy 21 of 199 days1985: Good 124 of 209 days1985: Moderate 58 of 209 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 209 days1985: Unhealthy 1 of 209 days1986: Good 88 of 195 days1986: Moderate 61 of 195 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 38 of 195 days1986: Unhealthy 8 of 195 days1987: Good 154 of 256 days1987: Moderate 56 of 256 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 37 of 256 days1987: Unhealthy 8 of 256 days1987: Very Unhealthy 1 of 256 days19871988: Good 239 of 365 days1988: Moderate 79 of 365 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 33 of 365 days1988: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days1988: Very Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1989: Good 234 of 365 days1989: Moderate 81 of 365 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 45 of 365 days1989: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days1990: Good 212 of 365 days1990: Moderate 105 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 40 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days1991: Good 252 of 365 days1991: Moderate 90 of 365 days1991: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 20 of 365 days1991: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1992: Good 263 of 366 days1992: Moderate 87 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days19921993: Good 223 of 365 days1993: Moderate 87 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 47 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days1994: Good 271 of 364 days1994: Moderate 73 of 364 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 16 of 364 days1994: Unhealthy 4 of 364 days1995: Good 271 of 363 days1995: Moderate 66 of 363 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 363 days1995: Unhealthy 5 of 363 days1996: Good 250 of 366 days1996: Moderate 75 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 31 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy 10 of 366 days1997: Good 232 of 365 days1997: Moderate 95 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 33 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy 5 of 365 days19971998: Good 232 of 365 days1998: Moderate 66 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 44 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy 23 of 365 days1999: Good 202 of 363 days1999: Moderate 113 of 363 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 32 of 363 days1999: Unhealthy 16 of 363 days2000: Good 187 of 366 days2000: Moderate 142 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 32 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy 5 of 366 days2001: Good 198 of 365 days2001: Moderate 118 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 47 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2002: Good 194 of 365 days2002: Moderate 119 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 36 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy 15 of 365 days2002: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days20022003: Good 217 of 363 days2003: Moderate 130 of 363 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 12 of 363 days2003: Unhealthy 4 of 363 days2004: Good 226 of 366 days2004: Moderate 129 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 11 of 366 days2005: Good 217 of 365 days2005: Moderate 114 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days2006: Good 97 of 363 days2006: Moderate 252 of 363 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 14 of 363 days2007: Good 94 of 365 days2007: Moderate 248 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy 1 of 365 days20072008: Good 112 of 362 days2008: Moderate 235 of 362 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 362 days2009: Good 140 of 362 days2009: Moderate 219 of 362 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 362 days2010: Good 141 of 362 days2010: Moderate 213 of 362 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 7 of 362 days2010: Unhealthy 1 of 362 days2011: Good 146 of 365 days2011: Moderate 209 of 365 days2011: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 10 of 365 days2012: Good 205 of 363 days2012: Moderate 154 of 363 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 363 days20122013: Good 213 of 336 days2013: Moderate 122 of 336 days2013: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 336 days2014: Good 170 of 314 days2014: Moderate 144 of 314 days2015: Good 205 of 305 days2015: Moderate 100 of 305 days2016: Good 217 of 358 days2016: Moderate 141 of 358 days2017: Good 199 of 365 days2017: Moderate 166 of 365 days20172018: Good 240 of 349 days2018: Moderate 109 of 349 days2019: Good 236 of 363 days2019: Moderate 127 of 363 days2020: Good 280 of 363 days2020: Moderate 83 of 363 days2021: Good 227 of 365 days2021: Moderate 137 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2022: Good 231 of 360 days2022: Moderate 128 of 360 days2022: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 360 days20222023: Good 201 of 365 days2023: Moderate 163 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2024: Good 233 of 366 days2024: Moderate 132 of 366 days2024: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days2025: Good 251 of 365 days2025: Moderate 114 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 year0501001502001981: 90th percentile AQI 1081982: 90th percentile AQI 1081983: 90th percentile AQI 1511985: 90th percentile AQI 1081986: 90th percentile AQI 1261987: 90th percentile AQI 1221988: 90th percentile AQI 1121989: 90th percentile AQI 1121990: 90th percentile AQI 1051991: 90th percentile AQI 901992: 90th percentile AQI 871993: 90th percentile AQI 1121994: 90th percentile AQI 841995: 90th percentile AQI 901996: 90th percentile AQI 1051997: 90th percentile AQI 1011998: 90th percentile AQI 1331999: 90th percentile AQI 1082000: 90th percentile AQI 1012001: 90th percentile AQI 1082002: 90th percentile AQI 1222003: 90th percentile AQI 842004: 90th percentile AQI 842005: 90th percentile AQI 1002006: 90th percentile AQI 902007: 90th percentile AQI 932008: 90th percentile AQI 842009: 90th percentile AQI 682010: 90th percentile AQI 802011: 90th percentile AQI 802012: 90th percentile AQI 652013: 90th percentile AQI 602014: 90th percentile AQI 642015: 90th percentile AQI 612016: 90th percentile AQI 612017: 90th percentile AQI 622018: 90th percentile AQI 602019: 90th percentile AQI 612020: 90th percentile AQI 562021: 90th percentile AQI 642022: 90th percentile AQI 612023: 90th percentile AQI 672024: 90th percentile AQI 612025: 90th percentile AQI 571981: Median AQI 471982: Median AQI 471983: Median AQI 581985: Median AQI 461986: Median AQI 641987: Median AQI 451988: Median AQI 431989: Median AQI 431990: Median AQI 461991: Median AQI 411992: Median AQI 391993: Median AQI 421994: Median AQI 381995: Median AQI 331996: Median AQI 391997: Median AQI 421998: Median AQI 421999: Median AQI 452000: Median AQI 492001: Median AQI 482002: Median AQI 472003: Median AQI 442004: Median AQI 422005: Median AQI 462006: Median AQI 582007: Median AQI 582008: Median AQI 562009: Median AQI 532010: Median AQI 542011: Median AQI 542012: Median AQI 482013: Median AQI 462014: Median AQI 492015: Median AQI 452016: Median AQI 462017: Median AQI 482018: Median AQI 422019: Median AQI 442020: Median AQI 392021: Median AQI 442022: Median AQI 452023: Median AQI 482024: Median AQI 462025: Median AQI 441981198719921997200220072012201720222025
  • 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)23564%
Ozone12835%
Coarse particles (PM10)21%

Year-by-year data

Annual AQI summary by year
YearDays with AQIGoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardousMedian AQI90th pct.Max AQIMain pollutant
20253652511140000445774PM2.5
202436623313210004661110PM2.5
202336520116310004867129PM2.5
202236023112810004561115PM2.5
202136522713710004464107PM2.5
2020363280830000395683PM2.5
20193632361270000446184PM2.5
201834924010900004260100PM2.5
201736519916600004862100PM2.5
20163582171410000466193PM2.5
20153052051000000456193PM2.5
20143141701440000496497PM2.5
201333621312210004660105PM2.5
201236320515440004865147PM2.5
2011365146209100005480143PM2.5
201036214121371005480151PM2.5
200936214021930005368122PM2.5
2008362112235150005684143PM2.5
200736594248221005893166PM2.5
200636397252140005890133PM2.5
20053652171142680046100182Ozone
2004366226129110004284147Ozone
2003363217130124004484164Ozone
200236519411936151047122203Ozone
20013651981184720048108164Ozone
20003661871423250049101182Ozone
199936320211332160045108197Ozone
19983652326644230042133197Ozone
1997365232953350042101166Ozone
19963662507531100039105185Ozone
199536327166215003390179Ozone
199436427173164003884159Ozone
1993365223874780042112185Ozone
199236626387142003987164Ozone
199136525290203004190172Ozone
19903652121054080046105172Ozone
1989365234814550043112174Ozone
19883652397933113043112216Ozone
1987256154563781045122206Ozone
198619588613880064126177Ozone
1985209124582610046108172Ozone
1983199906028210058151200Ozone
1982180105561540047108182Ozone
1981200115582520047108182Ozone

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 1981–2025 (EPA download page). EPA file dates: 2026-06-26. Imported into EnviroNearby November 5, 2026. How we use this data · Report a problem