EnviroNearby

Richland County, South Carolina air quality history

Daily Air Quality Index summaries from EPA monitors in Richland, South Carolina, 1980–2025.

58%
Good days in 2025
47
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 Richland, South Carolina on 365 days. 212 of those days (58%) were in the Good range, and the median daily AQI was 47. That median is higher than the typical monitored county in South Carolina (median 43 across 13 counties), and higher than the typical monitored U.S. county (40). The main pollutant was fine particles (PM2.5) on 223 days. Across the years with fuller monitoring, the share of Good days fell: an average of 60% in 1980–1982 versus 57% 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 177 of 366 days1980: Moderate 118 of 366 days1980: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 58 of 366 days1980: Unhealthy 12 of 366 days1980: Very Unhealthy 1 of 366 days19801981: Good 223 of 365 days1981: Moderate 89 of 365 days1981: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 50 of 365 days1981: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1982: Good 262 of 365 days1982: Moderate 72 of 365 days1982: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 365 days1982: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days1983: Good 200 of 365 days1983: Moderate 106 of 365 days1983: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 41 of 365 days1983: Unhealthy 18 of 365 days1984: Good 217 of 366 days1984: Moderate 114 of 366 days1984: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 366 days1984: Unhealthy 8 of 366 days1984: Very Unhealthy 1 of 366 days1985: Good 254 of 365 days1985: Moderate 79 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 24 of 365 days1985: Unhealthy 8 of 365 days19851986: Good 212 of 364 days1986: Moderate 101 of 364 days1986: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 41 of 364 days1986: Unhealthy 10 of 364 days1987: Good 213 of 365 days1987: Moderate 97 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 43 of 365 days1987: Unhealthy 12 of 365 days1988: Good 210 of 366 days1988: Moderate 89 of 366 days1988: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 42 of 366 days1988: Unhealthy 23 of 366 days1988: Very Unhealthy 2 of 366 days1989: Good 250 of 364 days1989: Moderate 87 of 364 days1989: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 23 of 364 days1989: Unhealthy 4 of 364 days1990: Good 193 of 365 days1990: Moderate 105 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 51 of 365 days1990: Unhealthy 15 of 365 days1990: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days19901991: Good 251 of 365 days1991: Moderate 98 of 365 days1991: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 16 of 365 days1992: Good 207 of 366 days1992: Moderate 138 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 366 days1992: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days1993: Good 172 of 365 days1993: Moderate 134 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 45 of 365 days1993: Unhealthy 13 of 365 days1993: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1994: Good 216 of 365 days1994: Moderate 127 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 365 days1994: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days1995: Good 224 of 365 days1995: Moderate 116 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days1995: Unhealthy 3 of 365 days19951996: Good 253 of 366 days1996: Moderate 95 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 15 of 366 days1996: Unhealthy 3 of 366 days1997: Good 187 of 365 days1997: Moderate 149 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 25 of 365 days1997: Unhealthy 4 of 365 days1998: Good 178 of 365 days1998: Moderate 123 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 50 of 365 days1998: Unhealthy 13 of 365 days1998: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days1999: Good 156 of 365 days1999: Moderate 156 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 42 of 365 days1999: Unhealthy 11 of 365 days2000: Good 141 of 366 days2000: Moderate 168 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 50 of 366 days2000: Unhealthy 7 of 366 days20002001: Good 155 of 365 days2001: Moderate 161 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 43 of 365 days2001: Unhealthy 6 of 365 days2002: Good 92 of 365 days2002: Moderate 228 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 29 of 365 days2002: Unhealthy 16 of 365 days2003: Good 99 of 365 days2003: Moderate 242 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 22 of 365 days2003: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2004: Good 86 of 366 days2004: Moderate 246 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 31 of 366 days2004: Unhealthy 3 of 366 days2005: Good 76 of 365 days2005: Moderate 265 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 20 of 365 days2005: Unhealthy 4 of 365 days20052006: Good 75 of 365 days2006: Moderate 261 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 365 days2006: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2006: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2007: Good 93 of 365 days2007: Moderate 243 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 26 of 365 days2007: Unhealthy 2 of 365 days2007: Very Unhealthy 1 of 365 days2008: Good 129 of 366 days2008: Moderate 216 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 19 of 366 days2008: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days2009: Good 174 of 365 days2009: Moderate 190 of 365 days2009: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2010: Good 139 of 365 days2010: Moderate 220 of 365 days2010: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 6 of 365 days20102011: Good 127 of 365 days2011: Moderate 217 of 365 days2011: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 21 of 365 days2012: Good 177 of 366 days2012: Moderate 186 of 366 days2012: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 366 days2013: Good 204 of 365 days2013: Moderate 161 of 365 days2014: Good 149 of 365 days2014: Moderate 216 of 365 days2015: Good 221 of 365 days2015: Moderate 144 of 365 days20152016: Good 206 of 366 days2016: Moderate 155 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 3 of 366 days2016: Unhealthy 2 of 366 days2017: Good 247 of 365 days2017: Moderate 116 of 365 days2017: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2 of 365 days2018: Good 266 of 365 days2018: Moderate 98 of 365 days2018: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2019: Good 245 of 365 days2019: Moderate 120 of 365 days2020: Good 289 of 366 days2020: Moderate 76 of 366 days2020: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days20202021: Good 268 of 365 days2021: Moderate 96 of 365 days2021: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 365 days2022: Good 265 of 365 days2022: Moderate 100 of 365 days2023: Good 207 of 365 days2023: Moderate 154 of 365 days2023: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 4 of 365 days2024: Good 210 of 366 days2024: Moderate 155 of 366 days2024: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 1 of 366 days2025: Good 212 of 365 days2025: Moderate 153 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 1081982: 90th percentile AQI 971983: 90th percentile AQI 1191984: 90th percentile AQI 1001985: 90th percentile AQI 971986: 90th percentile AQI 1151987: 90th percentile AQI 1191988: 90th percentile AQI 1291989: 90th percentile AQI 971990: 90th percentile AQI 1261991: 90th percentile AQI 801992: 90th percentile AQI 871993: 90th percentile AQI 1191994: 90th percentile AQI 841995: 90th percentile AQI 931996: 90th percentile AQI 841997: 90th percentile AQI 971998: 90th percentile AQI 1221999: 90th percentile AQI 1262000: 90th percentile AQI 1152001: 90th percentile AQI 1122002: 90th percentile AQI 1062003: 90th percentile AQI 922004: 90th percentile AQI 972005: 90th percentile AQI 942006: 90th percentile AQI 972007: 90th percentile AQI 972008: 90th percentile AQI 872009: 90th percentile AQI 682010: 90th percentile AQI 842011: 90th percentile AQI 882012: 90th percentile AQI 672013: 90th percentile AQI 622014: 90th percentile AQI 642015: 90th percentile AQI 592016: 90th percentile AQI 622017: 90th percentile AQI 582018: 90th percentile AQI 582019: 90th percentile AQI 582020: 90th percentile AQI 552021: 90th percentile AQI 602022: 90th percentile AQI 562023: 90th percentile AQI 642024: 90th percentile AQI 612025: 90th percentile AQI 611980: Median AQI 511981: Median AQI 441982: Median AQI 411983: Median AQI 481984: Median AQI 451985: Median AQI 421986: Median AQI 461987: Median AQI 461988: Median AQI 451989: Median AQI 421990: Median AQI 481991: Median AQI 431992: Median AQI 471993: Median AQI 521994: Median AQI 461995: Median AQI 441996: Median AQI 431997: Median AQI 501998: Median AQI 511999: Median AQI 552000: Median AQI 582001: Median AQI 532002: Median AQI 602003: Median AQI 592004: Median AQI 612005: Median AQI 602006: Median AQI 612007: Median AQI 602008: Median AQI 562009: Median AQI 512010: Median AQI 542011: Median AQI 552012: Median AQI 512013: Median AQI 472014: Median AQI 522015: Median AQI 462016: Median AQI 482017: Median AQI 442018: Median AQI 412019: Median AQI 422020: Median AQI 402021: Median AQI 422022: Median AQI 432023: Median AQI 472024: Median AQI 472025: Median AQI 471980198519901995200020052010201520202025
  • 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)22361%
Ozone14038%
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
20253652121530000476189PM2.5
202436621015510004761141PM2.5
202336520715440004764123PM2.5
20223652651000000435693Ozone
20213652689610004260101Ozone
20203662897610004055117PM2.5
20193652451200000425893PM2.5
20183652669810004158101PM2.5
201736524711620004458113Ozone
201636620615532004862174PM2.5
20153652211440000465990PM2.5
20143651492160000526493PM2.5
20133652041610000476297PM2.5
201236617718630005167119PM2.5
2011365127217210005588150PM2.5
201036513922060005484136PM2.5
200936517419010005168101PM2.5
2008366129216192005687169PM2.5
200736593243262106097217PM2.5
200636575261262106197278PM2.5
200536576265204006094177PM2.5
200436686246313006197182PM2.5
200336599242222005992169PM2.5
20023659222829160060106197PM2.5
20013651551614360053112179Ozone
20003661411685070058115192Ozone
199936515615642110055126192Ozone
199836517812350131051122207Ozone
1997365187149254005097187Ozone
199636625395153004384179Ozone
1995365224116223004493169Ozone
1994365216127193004684177Ozone
199336517213445131052119203Ozone
1992366207138192004787166Ozone
199136525198160004380150Ozone
199036519310551151048126205Ozone
198936425087234004297182Ozone
19883662108942232045129214Ozone
19873652139743120046119187Ozone
198636421210141100046115179Ozone
198536525479248004297182Ozone
19843662171142681045100206Ozone
198336520010641180048119197Ozone
198236526272238004197174Ozone
1981365223895030044108187Ozone
198036617711858121051122202Ozone

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 South Carolina with a similar median AQI in 2025

All monitored counties in South 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